Two households both alike in dignity,Perhaps Shakespeare's most famous play, the Romantic Tragedy of the star-crossed lovers Romeo & Juliet. Two families of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, who have been feuding with each other for years. Young Romeo Montague goes out with his friends to make trouble at a party the Capulets are hosting, but while there he spies the Capulet's daughter Juliet, and falls hopelessly in love with her. She returns his affections, but they both know that their families will never allow them to follow their hearts. Another highly accessible production using period costumes and settings which brings out all of the elements of this, Shakespeare's most famous play. Two young lovers, little more than children, cannot understand the hatred of an older generation that keeps them apart, and choose to die rather than live without each other. Still as relevant today as it was when it was written, the play is also a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare for pupils of all ages and a must for pupils studying the text. No gimmicks, only Shakespeare's powerful text. A cast of 6 bring the play to life, giving you everything you would expect from a visit to the Theatre, but in your school. The production comes with full set, period costume, lights, sounds, and a unique insight into Shakespeare's words, all assembled in your school.
BITESIZE THEATRE COMPANY's production of William Shakespeare's
SYNOPSIS
Verona, Italy in the 14th Century. The play begins with a chance encounter between two members of the House of Capulet and Abraham, a servant in the House of the Montagues. There is a long-standing feud between
the two families which results in trouble every time there is one of these encounters, which quickly escalates into a running street brawl which is only halted by the arrival of Escales, the Prince of Verona who condemns
both sides and declares that their next public brawl will be punished by death. The Capulets leave, but Lord Montague stays to confide in his 
nephew, Benvolio, his concerns about Romeo, his only son seems depressed
and asks Benvolio to find out what the trouble is. When Romeo appears we find that his melancholy, is because he is hopelessly in love with a girl named Rosaline, but she, alas, does not return his love. Benvolio makes
it his task to help Romeo find someone else.
Back at the House of the Capulets, Lord Capulet is entertaining Count Paris, one of the Prince's kinsmen. They walk together and discuss Paris' desire to marry, Lord Capulet's daughter, Juliet. Capulet is happy about the Count's interest but insists that they should wait two years because Juliet is still only 13 years old. Capulet tries to console Paris by saying that he is throwing a party that would serve as the perfect place for Paris to woo Juliet.
Capulet gives the guest list for the party to a servant and tells her to invite everyone on the list but she cannot read. Fortunately, on her way she meets Romeo and Benvolio, and Romeo reads the list aloud. The servant says they are welcome to attend the masquerade feast, provided that they are not Montagues. Benvolio persuades Romeo that he should go to the party, in disguise, to get his mind off Rosaline. Romeo agrees, but only because he saw Rosaline's name on the list.
Back at the Capulet's house, Lady Capulet tells the Nurse to find Juliet. When Juliet enters the room, Lady Capulet tells the Nurse to leave so she can speak in privacy. She quickly thinks better and tells the Nurse to stay so she can help her. The Nurse immediately reminisces back to Juliet's youth and states that Juliet is the most beautiful child the Nurse has taken care of. She says that she hopes she will see Juliet married some day, at which point Lady Capulet brings up her subject. She asks Juliet if she wants to get married, and Juliet replies that she hasn't given the subject much thought. Lady Capulet tells Juliet to look out for Paris at the party, since he would make a fine husband.
Romeo, Benvolio, and their friend Mercutio walk together towards the Capulet's feast. Mercutio tries to engage Romeo in some banter in an effort to cheer him up. He insists should dance, but Romeo says he is only going to
watch from the sidelines. When they arrive at the feast, Lord Capulet is just greeting all his guests and they slip in unnoticed. Romeo spots Juliet from across the room and he immediately forgets about Rosaline. Juliet's
cousin, Tybalt, recognises Romeo's voice a
nd enraged at his presence, tells his Uncle that he is going to deal with him, but Capulet refuses to have any blood shed in his home. Tybalt vows that he will get his revenge at a
later time. Meanwhile, Romeo is smitten by Juliet's beauty and starts to woo her , and is rewarded with a kiss. The Nurse interrupts them and sends Juliet to speak with her mother. As everybody begins to depart, Romeo
learns that Juliet is a Capulet, and she learns that he is a Montague, and so they should be mortal enemies.
Romeo feels compelled to stay near Juliet's house because that is where his heart lies. He climbs over the wall and into the orchard while his friends taunt him from the other side. Mercutio mocks Romeo's feelings for Rosaline, but when Romeo does not surface, he and Benvolio go home. Romeo remains hidden until he sees Juliet in her window lamenting over her predicament, and realising Juliet is as distraught as he is, he makes his presence known. At first, Juliet is startled and embarrassed that he has overheard her, and demands to know why he is there and how he got there. Romeo tells her that his love helped him climb over the high walls, and they proclaim their love to one another. Juliet remains uncertain about Romeo's immediate intentions, and when she hears the Nurse calling her, she tells Romeo that if he is serious then he should arrange for them to be married. He tells Juliet to send somebody to him at 9 in the morning so the plans for the wedding. Romeo and Juliet regretfully part for the night, but both are excited about what the following day will bring.
Early the next morning, Friar Lawrence is out gathering wild plants and herbs for medicinal purposes when Romeo arrives, having clearly been up all night. At first, Friar Lawrence thinks that Romeo has spent the night with Rosaline, but Romeo tells him the astonished Friar, that he has forgotten all about her; he's now in love with Juliet, the daughter of his enemy. Romeo convinces him that his love is true, and that he and Juliet wish to be married immediately. Although reluctant at first, Friar Lawrence gives his consent in the hope that the marriage will end the feud between the Montague's and the Capulet's.
At the same time Benvolio and Mercutio are in the town square wondering where Romeo had got to. He never returned to his father's house, where Tybalt has sent him a letter challenging him to a duel. The three banter back and forth and Romeo is clearly in a better mood than he was the last time he saw them. Their playful banter is cut short when the Nurse arrives with another servant, Peter . Mercutio pokes fun at the Nurse until she asks to speak to Romeo in privacy. Mercutio and Benvolio leave, reminding Romeo to meet them at his father's house for dinner. The Nurse is upset by Mercutio's behaviour, and she is her suspicious of Romeo's intentions. She is relieved to hear that Romeo has arranged that Friar Lawrence will marry them that evening, provided Juliet can find a way to go to church that afternoon.
Back at home Juliet impatiently awaits the return of her Nurse with news of Romeo, but when she arrives, the Nurse procrastinates and avoids giving Juliet a straight answer; complaining about her aching bones and the incredible heat, but she eventually tells Juliet that she and Romeo will be wed that day.
Later Benvolio and Mercutio aimlessly wander the streets of Verona. Benvolio suggests that they should go home, since sooner or later they are bound to run into the Capulets and a quarrel would ensue. Mercutio does not care if they do. Almost immediately, Tybalt arrives and he and Mercutio engage in a battle of words. But since Mercutio, isn't a Montague, he is related to the Prince, Tybalt has no real beef with him, but when Romeo arrive, Tybalt tries to instigate a fight. However, Romeo wishes to keep the peace because he is now married to Juliet. He tells Tybalt that he has no quarrel with the Capulets and that he considers their name as important as his own. Mercutio is outraged at Romeo's attempts at peace, and he draws his sword. Tybalt draws his sword and the two begin to duel. Romeo attempts to stop their fight and Tybalt takes that opportunity to stab Mercutio from under Romeo's arm. At first Mercutio dismisses the wound as a scratch, but it quickly becomes clear that it is more serious, indeed fatal. Romeo vows vengeance and attacks Tybalt. More by luck and rage that skill, Romeo strikes Tybalt and he falls down dead. Benvolio convinces Romeo to flee because he will surely be executed for this offence.
News travels fast around Verona and soon the Prince, the Montagues, and the Capulets arrive at the scene, demanding to know what happened. Benvolio explains that Tybalt killed Mercutio, and despite Romeo's
good intentions, he was responsible for Tybalt's death. Lady Capulet demands justice, an eye for an eye, but the Prince angrily interrupts her, saying that two people have already died, what point would there be in
killing another and so he banishes Romeo from Verona, not to return on pain of death.
Juliet impatiently waits for night so she can be with Romeo again. The Nurse enters her room with the news of Tybalt's death and Romeo's banishment. Juliet gives the Nurse her ring to give to Romeo. Despite all that has happened, Juliet still wants to spend a first and perhaps final night with her new husband.
Romeo has gone to Friar Lawrence for sanctuary, waiting to hear his fate. When Friar Lawrence tells him that he will live, but he has been banished from Verona, Romeo is devastated. He claims that there is no life outside of Verona and away from Juliet. Friar Lawrence tries to talk some sense into him by reminding him that he could have been executed for his actions. However, Romeo is too consumed by his grief to listen to logic. The Nurse arrives with Juliet's ring. The Friar and the Nurse agree that Romeo should spend the night with Juliet, as they had intended, for the next morning he must flee to Mantua, where he will wait until Friar Lawrence can find a way to have his banishment rescinded.
Meanwhile, unaware of Juliet's marriage, Paris has returned to the Capulet's house to find what Juliet's response has been to his proposal. Capulet tells him that because of Tybalt's death they have been unable to talk to Juliet on the matter, although Capulet assumes she will obey him, and so he tells Paris that they will be married in 3 days time, on Thursday.
Next morning, Romeo and Juliet awake from their night together. Juliet is reluctant that he should leave, but he insists that he has to go. The Nurse enters and tells Juliet that her mother is on her way to her chambers.
Romeo and Juliet share a final kiss before he escapes through her window. When she comes in Lady Capulet assumes that Juliet's distress is because of Tybalt's death, and tries to console her by saying that they will
send somebody to avenge him by killing Romeo. Lady Capulet then switches to the 'happy' news of her visit and informs Juliet that she will marry Count Paris on Thursday. To her mother's astonishment, Juliet adamantly
refuses, and when her Father arrives and learns of his daughter's refusal, he is livid. He threatens to throw her out on the streets. She will marry Paris, whether she likes it or not, before storming out of the room. Juliet tries
to plead with her mother, but Lady Capulet will not listen. Juliet turns to the Nurse and begs for her help. The Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is banished and Paris is a fine young man. She recommends that Juliet go to
confession and move on with her life. Juliet realizes that the Nurse is no longer on her side and she agrees to go to confession. Once the Nurse leaves, Juliet reveals that she is going to ask Friar Lawrence for his advice. If
he cannot help her, she will commit suicide.
When she arrives at Friar Lawrence's cell, she finds Paris is already there to discus his marriage to Juilet. She acts coldly to his attentions. And it is to the relief of both, when Paris leaves. Once they are alone, Juliet begs the Friar to help her. Friar Lawrence says that he has a plan which will solve everything. Juliet will pretend to agree with the marriage to Paris to make her family happy. On Wednesday night, she will drink a potion that will induce a sleep that is so deep that she will appear dead. Thursday morning, her family will find her and believing she is dead, they will put her in the Capulet tomb, where she will sleep for 42 hours. Friar Lawrence will send word to Romeo about his plan, and Romeo will be waiting in the tomb when Juliet awakens. Then the two can live out the rest of their days together in Mantua.
When Juliet returns from Friar Lawrence, she apologises to her Father, begs his forgiveness and agrees to marry Paris. Capulet is so happy by Juliet's transformation that he decides to hold the wedding on Wednesday instead of Thursday. Juliet asks the Nurse to help her prepare for her wedding, and once her dress has been laid out she asks the Nurse to leave her alone. One alone, Juliet had intended to drink the potion that Friar Lawrence had given her, but she is afraid that it might not work and she will have to marry Paris in the morning. Then she becomes worried that Friar Lawrence might have given her poison to ensure that she could not tell anybody about his role in her marriage to Romeo and then she worries that she might die in the tomb, either by suffocation or of fright. Finally, Juliet imagines that Tybalt's ghost is going after Romeo, but she dismisses her fears, drinks the potion and falls down as if dead.
Next morning, the Nurse cheerfully enters Juliet's bedchamber and tries to wake her. At first, she thinks that Juliet is heavily asleep, but she soon comes to the conclusion that Juliet is dead. Capulet and Friar Lawrence rush into the room at the sound of the Nurses screams. Capulet mourns the loss of his daughter. Friar Lawrence tries to console him by saying that Juliet is in Heaven now. The happy wedding celebration has to be transformed into a mournful funeral.
On Thursday morning in Mantua, Romeo is waiting for news from Verona, but not the news that Balthazar, his servant, brings him. He tells Romeo that Juliet is dead; he saw her corpse being taken to the Capulet's tomb. Overcome with grief, Romeo decides on a drastic course of action. He visits an apothecary, who is poor enough to ignore the law, and sell Romeo some illegal poison. Romeo then sets off back to Verona to be with his dead wife.
Friar Lawrence meets with his friend, Friar John, and asks for the letter Romeo has undoubtedly sent to him. Friar John delivers the terrible news that he was unable to go to Mantua due to the threat of plague, and so he could not even deliver Friar Lawrence's letter to Romeo, let alone bring his reply. So Romeo knows nothing of Friar Lawrence's new plan, and so he must get into the Capulet tomb, where Juliet will awaken shortly.
Outside the Capulet monument, Paris has come to pay his respects to the dead Juliet and enlists a Page to keep watch for other who may interrupt him. Romeo and Balthazar approach the tomb, and Paris hides in the bushes. Romeo gives Balthazar a letter for his father and asks him to leave, but the loyal Balthazar hides in the churchyard in case he is needed. On seeing that it is Romeo that approaches the tomb, Paris challenges him and they fight. Romeo kills Paris and enters Juliet's tomb and stands next to his wife, marvelling at how beautiful she is, even in death. He kisses her for the last time, drinks his poison, and dies by his wife's side. Friar Lawrence arrives and finds the grisly scene with both Paris' and Romeo's dead bodies. To Friar Lawrence's horror, he can hear people approaching as Juliet awakens. He bids her to leave with him, but she will not go. He flees before his role in the tragedy can be revealed. Juliet sees Romeo lying dead beside her and as he did not leave any poison for her. She kisses him for the last time and plunges his dagger into her heart. Just as she dies, the Watch arrive and discover the three dead bodies, and the Frier hiding nearby.
The Prince calls an inquest to which Lords Capulet and Montague are ordered to attend. The Frier is up first and he confesses his part in the events. Next Balthazar shows the letter that Romeo had given him and then Paris' Page gives his version of events. The Prince decides that everyone has been punished enough. Capulet and Montague shake hands and end the feud that caused so many innocent people to die.
When the BITESIZE THEATRE COMPANY performs Shakespeare, we invariably work from the First Folio text, printed in 1623 (7 years after Shakespeare's death). This was the first officially published version of the 36 Shakespeare plays we know today. We do this, because we believe that using this text, produces a more dynamic and accessible performance; and so the speeches will be easier to understand for both the Audience and the Actors. Remember that Shakespeare wrote these plays to be performed and not because he thought they would be studied as a piece of literature.
Prior to the publication of the First Folio, two versions of Romeo and Juliet were published in quarto editions (Quarto refers to the size of the printed page). These are commonly referred to as Q1 and Q2. Q1, the first printed edition, appeared in 1597, printed by John Danter, but because its text contains numerous differences from the later editions, it is labelled as a "bad quarto": "a detestable text, probably a reconstruction of the play from the imperfect memories of one or two of the actors". The superior Q2 followed in 1599, published by Cuthbert Burby and printed by Thomas Creede. It is a much more complete and reliable text, and was reprinted in 1609 (Q3), 1622 (Q4) and 1637 (Q5). Q2's title page called the play '"The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedie of Romeo and Juliet" and describes itself as "Newly corrected, augmented and amended". Scholars believe that this text was based on Shakespeare's pre-performance draft, since there are textual oddities such as variable tags for characters and "false starts" for speeches that were presumably struck through by the author but erroneously preserved by the typesetter. Q2 contains 800 lines missing from Q1. Q2 also has an interestingly defective stage direction: it reads "Enter Will Kempe" instead of "Enter Peter" in IV,v,102.
The First Folio version of the text does not contain the prologue, shown at the top of the page, and spoken by "Chorus", which suggests that the play would have run for two hours ("Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage"). Scholars use this to suggest that Shakespeare's actors spoke a 10 beat (iambic pentameter) line in about 2 secs. (The full length folio play is 3185 lines so 2 hours would mean 2.25 secs per line). This is a bit fast for modern ears, actually it is a lot fast. In practice, we find it has to be nearer 3 secs per line to be acceptable. This would bring the play in at about 2hours 45mins. The 2006 RSC production was just over 3 hours. (Although no information is available as to whether the text had been trimmed). Now, in order to fit into a school half-day (a morning or an afternoon) we have to abridge the text down to 1hour 30mins and this means that we have had to lose half the text. Although this sounds a lot, almost half the play, we believe that we have managed to do it sympathetically. We have been able to retain all of the elements of the plot, all the major characters and storylines, and we feel that those watching the play would be hard-pressed to detect where most of the cuts have been made.
The First Folio text has no Act or scene numbers; these have, in the main, been arbitrarily added later on by editors; but the play does have 8 distinct chunks of time and we have used these to hold the structure of the play together. The Synopsis above is the synopsis of the abridged version.
Romeo & Juliet RESOURCES
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