The Shakespeare Revue

Romeo and Juliet

"He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Act II, scene ii

Written: 1594

Synopsis: The feuding families of Montague and Capulet have been at loggerheads for longer than they can remember. At a party the Capulet's give one night, the daughter of their house falls in love with the son of their enemy. These two, Romeo and Juliet, meet in secret and their love is, Friar Laurence hopes, enough to unite the two families. However, even when they marry in secret, tragedy strikes. Tybalt (of the Capulets) kills Mercutio (friend to Romeo) and Romeo exacts a terrible vengeance which results in his banishment from the city. Not knowing their daughter to be already married, the Capulets try to force her to wed Paris, the local dude. In horror, she elicits the Friar Laurence's help from whence he devises a canny but ultimately unsuccessful plan. As usual in Shakespeare's tragedies, the important and likeable characters do not survive.

Characters:
• Romeo, a Montague
• Juliet, a Capulet
• Mercutio, a friend to Romeo
• Tybalt, Juliet's cousin

Musings: Ever wonder at the fact that Juliet's initials are the same as Jesus Christ's?

The Text of the Play: Romeo and Juliet

Quotes

Links:

Buy the Play:

Sir John Gilbert, R.A., The Lovers' Fatal Parting Reviews
	Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg March 23, 2011
	Royal Shakespeare Company March 25, 2010
	Guildford Shakespeare Company February 8, 2010
	The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey November 6, 2008
	Shakespeare Theatre Company September 28, 2008
	Stratford Festival of Canada August 29, 2008
	Shakespeare’s Globe Touring June 26, 2008
	Northern Broadsides April 12, 2008
	Chapterhouse Theatre Company July 30, 2006
	American Repertory Theatre at Loeb Drama Center March 2006
	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre April 10, 2005
	Hungarian Theatre 2003
	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 2001
	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 2000
	Apple Tree Theatre 1999
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