Think of it as Shakespeare for the TikTok generation, The Lovers, courtesy of lyricist Laura Murphy, injects the same type of energy Baz Luhrmann laced his Romeo & Juliet telling with across the Midsummer Night’s Dream narrative, reimagining the classic chaos of the original love story with a serious pop sensibility.
The core story itself remains the same as the Shakespeare prose, with a love square of sorts taking place between besties Helena (Natalie Abbott) and Hermia (Loren Hunter, though for the review of this particular show her cover, Jenni Little, performed the role), with the former pining for Demetrius (Jason Arrow, though for the review of this particular show his cover, Nic Van Lits, performed the role), and the latter for Lysander (Mat Verevis). And it would be all well and good for Hermia and Lysander to elope if Demetrius wasn’t madly in love with Hermia, which only makes poor Helena want him more; what’s that old saying, “Treat them mean, keep them keen?”
And though the ensemble faithfully perform the original text as dialogue, the song choices clearly speak to the modern audience it’s aiming to envelop, with Stellar Perry‘s Oberon and Jayme-lee Hanekom‘s Puck sprinkling their brand of mischief across proceedings with their big, brash vocals, sexual energy, and, in Hanekom’s case, impressive rap skills. This isn’t your parents’ Shakespeare – and a slew of profanity inserts and romantic fluidity only drive this further home.
Like how pop music itself can be inherently silly, The Lovers indulges in the fact that it doesn’t take itself overtly seriously either – there’s a moment where Oberon and Puck are trying to list the successful relationships they’ve maneuvered, only to come up short because their track record includes Brad and Angelina, and Johnny Depp and Amber Heard (Cupid takes responsibility for Beyonce and Jay-Z, apparently) – but, at the same time, it isn’t making light of the fact that, in a time when romance is confined to eggplant emojis and casual dalliances, love and all its messiness is still important.
The pop culture references are a risky move (a joke payoff regarding Bill and Hillary Clinton didn’t quite get the reaction it deserved), proving The Lovers ultimately works best when it’s aiming for a bit more sincerity over chasing a gag. But Perry and Hanekom, who are responsible for most of the witty word play, continually sell in the face of any missed reaction, and you ultimately forget any shortcomings because the vocals on hand are so spectacularly stellar; Abbot proving a real standout with her lush, controlled tone.
Existing somewhere between a high school musical and a full blown, big-budget affair, The Lovers bridges the gap, allowing a safe space for the classics to pierce through to a younger generation without feeling as if it’s being force fed to those who live through their screens. If it sparks an interest, then this colourful amalgamation of “Love, pop and Shakespeare (Shake it, shake it!)” has more than done its job.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The Lovers is playing at Brisbane’s QPAC Playhouse until October 5th, 2025. For more information and ticket purchases, head to the official site here.
