THE STORY

'Romeo and Juliet' is a timeless Shakespearian tale, which has been renewed numerous times, but nevertheless has stayed a prominent classic in the world of literature. The play and it's young lovers encapsulate themes of love, youth, death and fate. The production 'Romeo & Juliet' aims to satisfy these themes by re-contextualising the tale in the the feudal society of Japan during the Tokugawa period, setting the story in the early 1700s with the long-running feud occuring between the Capulet and Montague damiyos and their households. The irrefutable story of a pair of young lovers' strife is once again represented with elegance and flair.

PROLOGUE

The Prologue, as performed by the Chorus, details the ill-fated destiny of the two young lovers and provides a summary of the play’s location, insight into the two warring families and characters as well as providing knowledge about the play’s disastrous consequence. The Prologue is performed by a single narrator who summarises the main themes and events of the play.

ACT I

The first act commences with the appearance of two servants from the Capulet household exchanging lively banter in the streets of Verona and who discuss the ongoing tension between their master and the Montague family. Consequently, after noticing two servants from the Montague household, tension quickly escalates causing a brawl. Benvolio and his fellow passing samurai draw their katana to dissipate the brawl, but he is attacked by Tybalt and the brawl continues to escalate, with Lord Capulet and Montague looking to join. Shortly after, Prince Escalus, the son of the shogun, and his samurai enter on horseback and restore peace, reprimanding the two sides for the disruption they have caused.

In another scene, Benvolio muses that Romeo has been acting extremely melancholy due to his unrequited love for the court lady Rosaline. To lighter Romeo’s spirit, Benvolio suggests they attend the local annual lantern festival hosted by the Capulets, in order to compare Rosaline’s beauty to other women, an idea Romeo is hesitant on. At the Capulet manor, Juliet has been propositioned by her parents to marry Paris, a prominent samurai fighter whom they believe will be the perfect suitor.

Later, Benvolio and Romeo along with their friend Mercutio are seen walking to the festival. Romeo ponders, saying that he feels as if the night will set fate into motion and result in a ‘untimely death’. At the ball, Romeo and Juliet instantly fall in love and profess their love for each other. The scene ends with the two young lovers realising each other's identity and their predicament.

The first act places emphasis on the tension between the Capulet and Montague sides and foreshadows what is to come. It also introduces and establishes a relationship between the two young lovers.

ACT II

After the festival at the Capulet manor, Romeo scales the garden wall and hides in the cherry blossom orchard outside Juliet’s window. The two exchange their love and vow to marry each other the next day.

The next day, Romeo implores Shinto priest Lawrence to marry him and Juliet, however the priest expresses his doubt for the authenticity of his love for Juliet after his quick change of heart from previously vying for Rosaline. The priest eventually relents as he hopes the marriage will unite the two warring families.

After the Nurse converges with Romeo and they organise the young lovers to be married in the afternoon, the Nurse returns to Juliet with the good news. Juliet travels to the priest's cell under the guise of attending a cleansing ceremony. The act ends as the lovers are wed by the priest.

ACT III

In the town centre, Tybalt confronts Mercutio in search of Romeo. Once found, he challenges Romeo to a fight to the death. Mercutio and Tybalt draw their swords and in the calamity Mercutio is fatally wounded. Romeo becomes enraged and to avenge Mercutio’s death, kills Tybalt in a spur of the moment fight. Prince Escalus condemns Romeo to commit seppuku the next day.

After learning of her cousin’s death at the hands of her husband, Juliet experiences conflicting emotions, but resolves to stand behind her husband. She orders the

Nurse to find Romeo, who travels to the priest’s cell where Romeo wishes death upon himself and attempts to stab himself. After regaining his senses, Romeo travels to the Capulet manor where the two lovers spend their wedding night together, before Romeo leave the next day to await his trial.

The morning after, Juliet is told that she will marry Paris, as decided by her parents. She strictly opposes and is extremely angered by the proposal. Capulet is enraged by Juliet’s disobedience as according to Japanese society and morals a woman must obey the head of the household and marry her parents’ proposed suitor. She implores her parents to delay the marriage but is denied. As she turns to her maid as last resort, she realises that even the Nurse has turned against her. Seeing as no one will help her, Juliet escapes to the priest’s cell under the pretense of attending a purifying ritual, to seek help from the priest.

ACT IV

Juliet quickly travels to the priest’s chamber in hopes of finding a solution to her predicament. After a brief encounter with Paris, whom she has been organised to marry the next day, she implores the priest to create a method to unite the lovers once again and prevent the disastrous marriage occurring. The priest concocts a potion, which he claims will render the taker of the potion motionless and without a pulse, appearing seemingly dead during the span of 2 days. After taking the potion Juliet will awake in the family tomb and elope with Romeo who will be notified of the plan via letter.

Juliet receives the potion and returns to the Capulet manor, repenting to her parent’s about her disobedience. After returning to her chamber, she expresses doubt over the consequences of the vial; she may die, or become left alone in the vault, but eventually takes the concoction.

The next morning, when her maid goes to rouse her, Juliet is found dead. The Capulet household along with Paris mourn the loss.

ACT V

With Romeo under guard waiting for his sentence, his servant notifies him of Juliet’s death. Romeo, in denial, purchases a tantō and travels to the Capulet tomb. On the other hand, the priest’s letter does not reach him, and he is not notified of the plans.

Romeo enters the tomb and sees Juliet lying, seemingly dead. After lamenting about their love, he commits seppuku using the dagger. As Juliet stirs, she is met with the sight of her love slowly dying beside her. Still conscious, Romeo realises that Juliet is in fact not dead, but it is too late. As Juliet watches her love die, she too, discovering a second kaiken dagger, stabs herself and dies. The priest quickly enters and expresses guilt towards the death of the two youths. The heads of the two warring households arrive and reconcile, vowing to end the bloody feud.

The Story