The producers of the global sensation & JULIET announce that multi-platinum selling recording artist and award-winning West End actor, Matt Cardle, will play the role of Shakespeare in the upcoming UK and Ireland tour. He joins the previously announced Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Sandra Marvin as Angélique and Lara Denning as Anne. The UK and Ireland tour opens at Manchester Opera House on 8 July 2024.
Also in the cast are Jack Danson (Mamma Mia, Novello Theatre) as Romeo, Kyle Cox (Crazy For You, Gillian Lynne Theatre & Chichester Festival Theatre) as Francois, Jordan Broatch (42 Balloons, The Lowry & Vaudeville Theatre) as May, Michael Nelson (Dirty Dancing, UK & International Tour) as Henry, Liam Morris (The Bodyguard, UK Tour) as Richard, Jade Johnson (Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre) as Nell / Lady C, Rosie Singha (Love Never Dies concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) as Judith, Nia Stephen (Cinderella, Imagine Theatre) as Imogen, Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) as Lucy/Alternate Juliet, Andilé Mabhena (Shrek The Musical, UK & Ireland Tour) as Augustine / Dance Team, Harriet Caplan-Dean (SIX, West End, UK Tour & International Tour), as Eleanor, Alexander Kranz (To Wong Foo, Hope Mill Theatre) as Lennox Aaron Shales (& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre) as Gregory / Dance Team, Toni Paise (theatrical debut) as Violet and Samuel Wilson-Freeman (Mrs Doubtfire, Shaftesbury Theatre) as Fletcher / Resident Director and Dance Captain.
Matt Cardle rose to fame as the winner of The X Factor’s highest ever rated series in 2010, beating One Direction who came third. His performance with Rihanna on the show has been viewed over 41 million times on YouTube and his debut single When We Collide, taken from his platinum selling debut album, has sold over 1.1 million copies. Since then, Matt has released four studio albums and has collaborated with artists such as Melanie C and Gary Barlow, the latter on Run For Your Life, which has amassed over 22 million streams to date. Matt is also set to release his fifth studio album later this year.
Matt starred as Huey Calhoun in Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre, Wes End) alongside Beverley Knight, for which he received the WhatsOnStage award for ‘Best West End Debut.’ He also appeared as Wally Strand in Strictly Ballroom (Piccadilly Theatre) and Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar (Barbican Theatre).
There is life after Romeo!
Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart toppers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — all from Max Martin, the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century, and his collaborators. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.
& JULIET is a global success and an Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award winning and Tony Award nominated musical. The West End production at the Shaftesbury Theatre thrilled audiences from 2019-2023, with the smash-hit Broadway production, breaking box office records and entering its second year in November 2023 and a US tour set to embark in September 2024. The musical made its North American premiere with the pre-Broadway production opening at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2022. The Australian production opened in Melbourne in February 2023 before heading to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this summer and is currently playing a return engagement in Australia.
The full creative team for the UK and Ireland tour of & JULIET includes David West Read (Book), Max Martin & Friends (Music & Lyrics), Luke Sheppard (Direction), Jennifer Weber (Choreography), Bill Sherman (Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Soutra Gilmour (Scenic Design), Paloma Young (Costume Design), Howard Hudson (Lighting Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Andrzej Goulding (Video & Projection Design) and Suzy Bennett (Hair, Wig & Makeup Design) and Dominic Fallacaro (Additional Arrangements and Orchestrations). Casting is by Stuart Burt.
& JULIET is presented by Max Martin and Tim Headington and is produced by Max Martin, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd and Rebecca Quigley.
