Review: & JULIA at Stage Operettenhaus Hamburg

Tell Me Why?

Do we need a Musical packed with Hits from Max Martin ( Producer/ Songwriter for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Pink, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion, and many others)?

Long story short

YES WE DO!

This ain't nothing but a heartache, it was the surprisingly funniest Show when it opened in the UK in 2019.

Now it's time to shine for & Julia in Hamburg to celebrate its German Premiere at the Stage Operettenhaus in the heart of St.Pauli, the famous Reeperbahn. There might be no better place for a colorful, diverse show like this, the perfect spot for such a spectacle.

& Julia tells Shakespeare's famous tragic love story in a somewhat different yet unexpected way. What if Julia didn't die? What if there is a life after Romeo (Veronas Gigolo #1)? Better fasten your seatbelts; much power and energy is swapping into the auditorium straight from the beginning.

It's Julia's great adventure (pardon the pun), a larger-than-life emotional roller-coaster for both the main characters and the audience.

Germany is presenting this "Musical-Juke-Box Party" in its best manner. It is packed with loads of charming jokes that will not leave a dry eye. The songs are diligently translated into German for a short intro before switching to their original language, a risky but brilliant task.

I WANT Anne Hathaway!

That's what William Shakespeare ( Andreas Bongard) proclaimed at the end of the Show; of course, we all want Anne Hathaway, played by the brilliant Willemijn Verkaik, to show off her rather unexpected comedy talent and (what else) bringing the house down with her unique voice, this time with Céline Dion's That's The Way It Is.

What a voice, what a performance. Verkaik is at its best!

And what a fantastic cast! Chiara Fuhrmann, who plays Julia, the leading lady, is no stranger to the Operettenhaus stage. She has been in the critically acclaimed German Production of Lin-Manuel Mirrendas HAMILTON. Now it's her time to shine in a Shakespearean drama comedy. Fuhrmann astonishes with a powerful voice and a fetching stage presence in between the likes of Verkaik or Braun. All doubts are swept away, and Fuhrmann presents herself as a well-deserved Leading Lady.

IF YOU WANT IT THE MOST THERE IS NO EASY WAY OUT!

If life gets complicated and things are rough, you must take a long shot to get yourself out of it. Like Romeo, back from death (because William wanted it that way), confronted with his Gigolo sins, no longer the beloved, handsome, striking, adorable ladies (and boys) man. Everyone asks why Julia fell in love with this narcissistic Wanna-Be Poster boy, also called "Lauch" by Anne, charmingly ironically portrayed by Raphael Groß (Romeo).

&Juliet is well-known for bringing diversity to the stage with the non-binary character of May (Bram Tahamata) to transport a rather important message: it doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl; what matters is that you are my friend, a guaranteed Kleenex-moment.

"What a fantastic Opening Night! Probably the world's most famous love story, filled with so much feminism, Queerness, and Pop, a perfect sign that there are no frontiers in Art! I am pleased to tell Francois's queer and modern story in this important Show for our Musical-Scene. Max Martin was super proud of us and the Show; I can't wait to tell our story to the people." (The Austrian-born Oliver Edward right after his Opening Night's performance)

May and Francois ( Oliver Edward, another familiar face from the German HAMILTON production) are fighting for their love and acceptance, as well as Francois's father Lance (Carlos De Vries), is fighting for the love of Angelique (a Jacqueline Braun at its best)

It has to worsen before it improves because, this time, we are here for a Happy Ending.

But sometimes, it doesn't need a convincing end, sometimes it's more about new beginnings.

&Julia sounds fantastic(Kudos to Musical Director Philipp Gras), feels great, and brings fun and joy into the German Speaking Musical area.

&Julia Hamburg You Are Fuckin' Perfect.

For further information about the German production click here

All pictures ©Johan Persson Stage Entertainment