Shakespeare mostly uses blank verse in all his plays and in Romeo and Juliet apart from where he uses rhyme. Blank verse is used to make it run smoothly and is more flexible than rhyme it does not constrict the writer to using only words that rhyme.
Italian cities were infamous for their long lasting deadly feuds between prominent families. Think the play was written as a part of his contribution with others to say “no” against such conflicts.
In order to direct the two scenes form the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, I must first identify the role of a director. To conclude my research on the role of a director I have found out that the director is someone who supervises and guides the performers in a play, film or musical performance. The director is also responsible of everything you see in a film such as the lighting, music, sound effects, props, scenery, special effects and the costumes.
I would direct these two scenes on a stage theatre performance instead of a film; this is because I feel that a theatre performance would bring the play to ‘LIFE’ in real time and space with live actors.
As a director I would keep the following elements of the original play which is love at first sight, moon light and romance, Romeos risk taking and sense of danger and the scenes development to the marriage plans.
Act Two, Scene Two is very important in the context of the play as a whole. Shakespeare has shown that the characters mature throughout the scene. He has also used a variety of methods to create dramatic tension, such as the inconsistency of Romeo’s elegant language, and the pragmatically of Juliet. The audience has also been made aware of the historical and cultural techniques he has used. This scene is the turning point in the play, where events and promises which occur, dramatically influence the catastrophic ending of the play.
This scene also enables us to look closely at Shakespeare’s language. However, the language used is romantic, but at the same time elaborate, in the way that Juliet is spoken of. He uses clichééd, formal, beautiful verse, but whenever Shakespeare speaks, we are made very aware that Romeo wants to have sex. We can see this in the quote on Line 24, Act 2, Scene 2.
“O that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek.”
This is how I would direct Act 2 Scene 2 of the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, When Romeo first sees Juliet you can see he is admiring her as he says on lines 2-3:
“But soft what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
For this opening of the balcony scene, I would fade in light throughout the scene as to simulate the sun rising. I would have Romeo wearing a tunic suit, as from Shakespearean times. One of the elements I would change from the original play would be for Juliet to wear a green gown instead of a white gown to represent her virginity. As it is the garden balcony, I would include a lot of pink and red flowers as to enhance the romantic nature of the scene. Romeo continues to flatter Juliet by saying that her eyes are like stars in heaven, and her cheeks only exceed their brightness. He also says she is
“ a winged messenger of heaven”.
Of course by this he is comparing Juliet to an angel, a good use of simile and comparison. During all this flattery the light is slowly rising. After the light gets to certain dimness, it will stop as to enhance the romantic nature of the scene. After the light has reached this, Juliet speaks of Romeo. When she has finished, instead of Romeo interrupting her, I would have him making a sound in the corner, such as stepping on a twig, to enhance the intensity and climax of the lovers. After this, Rome hits her with lines 66 and 67:
“ With love’s light wings did I o’er-perch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out”
He says this in reply to Juliet’s question of how he got into her garden, as the walls are too high. As Romeo says the lines I believe some soft orchestra music should start as to add to the romantic nature of the scene. This should carry through to the end of the scene.
Women played a completely different role in society in Elizabethan times than they do today. Wealthy upper class women like Juliet were expected to obey their fathers' wishes and marry at their command. Love was not a deciding factor in the marriages occurring between the rich. Fathers arranged marriages to obtain better links with certain important wealthy families and inherit money.
Act 3 Scene 5, it is important to the whole play. This scene is also a turning point in the play. If this scene didn’t happen then Romeo wouldn’t have been banished, Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t have been separated, leading up to them killing themselves. This scene represents a change in emotions and you can clearly see Romeo and Juliet's relationship heading downhill to a calamity.
If I were to stage Act 3 Scene 5, I would find it extremely hard to create a sense of reality. I think the stage layout is very significant, as the audience must have a sense of direction of the scene. I would start by putting a door on opposite sides of the stage to show a degree of opposition when the actors enter. There will be no scenery and the background will simply be draped in black sheets to indicate the play is a tragedy. There may be a few props such as a table and an arch will help the dramatic appearance of the actual sword fight as they try to fight around it. Above the doors at either end of the stage will be balconies for the musicians to sit and provide sound effects at particular moments through the scene, especially at the moment where Mercutio is stabbed and is lying on the floor dead.
As for means of injuries and realistic appearance of them I think that as long as the quality of acting is superior it would be believable as to what injuries were occurring. To aid the actors in achieving this I would place a sheep’s stomach behind the clothing so once pierced it would look like the actor is really bleeding and actually has been stabbed. Obviously each part will be played by a male as women were forbidden from the stage in the Shakespearian period. This wouldn’t have posed a problem to this particular scene but is an appropriate detail to take into account.
An example of one of the metaphors in act 3 scene 5 is on lines 6-11 early on in the scene is,
"Nights candles are burnt out".
This refers to the stars disappearing as daybreaks. It could also be a pun in meaning the actual candles of the night are burnt out and come to an end. Plays on words like this are good things to include into a play because they add to the audiences enjoyment.
