Romeo and Juliet

Fereshta Nawid 10081098

William Shakespeare’s “ Romeo and Juliet” is a romantic tragedy. It is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. I want to direct a scene of Romeo and Juliet. I chose to direct the scene as a film, because I believe movies are more alive and attractive than theatre plays.

Romeo & Juliet was written during a period when Shakespeare had found the strength of his writing. He would have been about 26 years old when he wrote it. It stands as a great play in its own right. Romeo & Juliet was written around 1595.

The story is about two teenagers, who pursue their love for each other despite the fact that their families have been at odds with each other for decades. The story combines sword fighting, disguise, misunderstanding, tragedy, humour and some of the most romantic language found in literature about true love.

Romeo is 17 years old. He knows a good thing when he sees it in Juliet. It is love at first sight. It is only after he secretly crashes the Capulets’ Masked Ball that he first sees his destiny. Unfortunately, the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets continues. Romeo and Juliet must be married in secret to prevent more bloodshed.

Juliet’s love for Romeo opens her eyes to the world. She is only 14 years old. She secretly marries Romeo, forsaking the marriage her parents had arranged with Paris. Juliet's feelings seem divinely inspired. Her tragic death seems, strangely, a fulfilment of her utterly sweet regard for the brash Montague.

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In Verona, Italy, in the late 1500s, two powerful families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been feuding with each other for years. Old Capulet, Juliet's father, throws a party to which he invites all his friends. The Montagues are not invited, of course, but Romeo devises a plan to get a look at Rosaline, a young girl he has been pursuing. He disguises himself and slips into the party. Once inside, Romeo’s attention is stolen, not by Rosaline, but by Juliet. Romeo falls instantly in love, but is disappointed when he finds out that Juliet is a Capulet. Juliet notices Romeo too, but she is unaware that he is a member of the hated Montagues.

I, as a director of Act II, scene II, have to consider the following factors: The director’s responsibility is to visualize the scene and choose ideal lighting. He/she should understand the development of the characters in the scene. The language of the film should convey the meaning of the poetry. Basically, I would like to use the original Shakespearean language. I believe the film should be about love at first sight, how love prompts Romeo to take a risk and even makes him ready to die. Love also gives Juliet the strength to make the decision of marriage with Romeo without mentioning it to her parents. I think this is best expressed through Shakespeare’s beautiful verse.

I shall now consider the scenery for Act II, Scene II. The balcony is big and designed beautifully with green plants; there are vases of different flowers around the balcony. The walls of the house around the window are made of shiny stones. The balcony wall is covered by ivy and the green leaves grow up on the walls. And there is a tree, which, Romeo can use to climb up to the balcony.

The costume and dresses should be shiny because the scene is shot at night. Juliet wears a white gown made of silk and she has a pearl choker on her neck. The white dress presents her as innocent and charming. At the same time Romeo is climbing up to the balcony by tree. He has a black satin shirt and leather trousers on. This makes him look sexy and dangerous, and it is no surprise that Juliet is attracted to him.

Later, after discovering that the young man who caught her eye is a member of the enemy family, Juliet goes out onto her balcony to tell the stars about her strong but forbidden love. Juliet Says

“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?”

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name;”

“Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,”

“And I’ll not longer be a Capulet”

At the same time, Romeo is lurking in the bushes below. He overhears Juliet confess her love for him to the heavens. No longer able to control his powerful feelings, Romeo reveals himself to her and admits that he feels the same. The romantic scene in which Romeo and Juliet pledge lasting love takes place in Capulet's orchard, a setting that suggests ripeness and bounty. Romeo, in his haste to see Juliet a second time, leaps the forbidding wall, and trespasses a second time that evening into the territory of the Capulets.

The actors should be chosen to fit the story. Romeo is seventeen and Juliet is fourteen. I will choose two teenagers to play the roles, because in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet were quite young. Also if we imagine 400 years ago the girls often married at the age of fourteen or fifteen.

The music is soft and romantic, to give comfort for lovers to exchange vows and touch each other. The director needs to arrange the lighting in a way to attract the audience to the scene. Lights shine white like moon, as moon is symbol of love and romance, light will flash on them when they kiss on the balcony to express their love.

The very next day, with the help of Romeo's friend Friar Lawrence and the nurse, Romeo and Juliet are secretly married.