Romeo and Juliet Short Script.docx

Romeo and Juliet Cast Montagues Romeo – Mercutio – Benvolio – Lady Montague – Gregory –

Capulets Juliet – Tybalt – Lord Capulet – Lady Capulet – Nurse – Abraham – Peter –

Citizens of Verona Princess - Paris - Friar Lawrence – Apothecary – Brother John – Balthasar - Prologue –

ACT 1 SCENE 1

PROLOGUE Our scene is set in the town of Verona, where two families, both dignified and respected have been fighting for years. The younger members of these families have carried on the war and things are getting worse. Among these young rivals are the only children of the heads of the families. They are destined to be starcrossed lovers, and our stage is set to tell their tale of sadness, as only their deaths can end this awful war.

ACT 1 SCENE 1 (Enter Mercutio and Benvolio and Gregory. Mercutio and Benvolio are laughing and chatting, but Gregory is wandering about looking on edge) GREGORY: Draw your swords! Here comes two of the house of the CAPULETs! MERCUTIO: If they want a fight, let them start it. GREGORY: I am going to give them some evil looks, see how they like that! (Enter ABRAHAM and TYBALT! TYBALT stands looking moody by the side of the stage, he hasn’t seen the MONTAGUEs, but ABRAHAM sees GREGORY giving him funny looks.) ABRAHAM: What’s your problem? GREGORY: Nothing, what’s your problem?

ABRAHAM: Why are you giving me dirty looks? GREGORY: Are you starting something? ABRAHAM: Starting something? ME? Wouldn’t waste my time on you! GREGORY: Oh yeah? Well at least my boss isn’t an idiot like yours! ABRAHAM: Right, that’s it! I’ve had enough of you! GREGORY: Well come on then! Let’s have a look at you! (They fight) BENVOLIO: Part, fools! Put your swords down! What are you doing? (Beats down their swords. TYBALT comes over) TYBALT: I’m not surprised to see you messing about with these silly kids, come on then let’s have a real fight! BENVOLIO: I am trying to stop them! Either get lost or come and help me! TYBALT: Hang on! So you have your sword out but you’re not fighting? Yeah right! I hate all the MONTAGUEs, especially you, what a coward! Come on then! (They fight)

(Enter, Lady MONTAGUE, Lord and Lady CAPULET, Princess and the NURSE.) LORD CAPULET: What’s going on? MONTAGUEs! Let me at them!! LADY CAPULET: Don’t be stupid! CAPULET: Get out of the way! Look! There is Lady MONTAGUE! She has got her sword out! How dare her! LADY MONTAGUE: That villain CAPULET! Don’t hold me! Let me go! BENVOLIO: Not a chance! Don’t get involved! PRINCESS: STOP! Stop it all of you! I have had enough of this! I am your Princess and you will listen to me! This old argument between you has got to stop. There will be no more fighting, On pain of death! I mean it! I will show no mercy to the next person caught fighting in these streets. Now go home, all of you! (Exit all but LADY MONTAGUE! and BENVOLIO)

LADY MONTAGUE: Nephew, what went on here? Who started the fight? BENVOLIO: A couple of the young servants were having a scrap, but then TYBALT arrived and made it all ten times worse! LADY MONTAGUE: Where is ROMEO? Have you seen him today? I am so glad he wasn’t fighting.

BENVOLIO: I saw him earlier but he looked really upset, and he legged it when he saw me coming. LADY MONTAGUE: He has been really down these last few days. He has been shutting himself away in his room. I’m getting worried about him. BENVOLIO: Any ideas what might be up with him Aunt? LADY MONTAGUE: No. I have tried to speak to him, but he won’t say a thing! (Enter ROMEO) BENVOLIO: Here he comes now! I will have a word with him. LADY MONTAGUE: OK I will go home. (Exit LADY MONTAGUE) BENVOLIO: Cousin ROMEO! You seem really down lately. What’s up mate? ROMEO: Well….nothing, I am just…missing something… BENVOLIO: Something or someone? Are you in love? ROMEO: More like out of love, she’s not interested. BENVOLIO: Sorry to hear that. Plenty more fish in the sea though! ROMEO: Not for me. I think she was the one. She was so beautiful, and clever, and funny. BENVOLIO: Oh come on mate, if she’s not interested, Then she’s not interested! Bet there are loads of girls better than her anyway! ROMEO: Oh what do you know? Just leave me alone! (ROMEO exits. BENVOLIO follows shaking his head.)

ACT 1 SCENE 2 (Enter CAPULET and PARIS) PARIS: Lord CAPULET I was wondering if you had thought anymore about me wanting to marry your daughter. CAPULET: My daughter is still very young, I’m not sure she is ready to be married yet, give it a couple of years eh? PARIS: I have seen younger girls than her be happily married! CAPULET: Yeah but those marriages don’t always work out! Besides, I want her to marry someone she can love, so take some time, see if she likes you and we will see. Look, I’m having a fancy dress party tonight, why don’t you come? You can spend some time with JULIET, and see how you get on? (PARIS: nods and they walk off. Enter BENVOLIO and ROMEO) BENVOLIO: Did you hear that ROMEO? A fancy dress party! That would be just the thing to take your mind of this girl! They won’t know it’s us cos we will be all dressed up, bet there will be loads of gorgeous girls there for you to meet! ROMEO: I don’t think so….. BENVOLIO: Oh come on! Please? ROMEO: Oh alright then! But don’t hold your breath, no-one can possibly be as gorgeous as her! (ROMEO AND BENVOLIO exit)

ACT 1 SCENE 3 (Enter LADY CAPULET and NURSE) LADY CAPULET: NURSE, where's my daughter? NURSE: Well! I did call her! Where can she be? JULIET!!??? JULIET!! (Enter JULIET) JULIET: What?! Who wants me? NURSE: Your mother JULIET: Well, here I am. What do you want? LADY CAPULET: Well…how old are you JULIET? NURSE: Pooh! She is fourteen! I can tell you how old she is to the hour!! Oh such a pretty baby she was!! And so funny! I remember this time when… LADY CAPULET: Oh will you please be quiet!!

NURSE: It was a really funny story though! See, she must have been about three and… JULIET: Oh NURSE! Please be quiet!! NURSE: Alright, alright! LADY CAPULET: Tell me JULIET, What do you think about getting married? JULIET: I haven’t really thought about it. LADY CAPULET: Well, think about it now. There are other girls your age happily married, and there is a young nobleman called PARIS Who like you to be his wife! NURSE: PHWOOARR!! He is so gorgeous!! LADY CAPULET: He is quite handsome, yes. So what do you think JULIET? He is coming to the party tonight. It would be great if you did like him. What do you think? JULIET: Well, I will see what I think. LADY CAPULET: Your father and I think this would be a good marriage so make sure you try your best to like him! Ooh that’s the door bell, the guests must be arriving. Come on! (Exit LADY CAPULET, JULIET and NURSE)

ACT 1 SCENE 4 (Enter ROMEO, MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO) MERCUTIO: I am so up for a party!! Hey ROMEO! Going to join me in some dancing tonight? See if we can get you moving? ROMEO: Not me, I am too depressed. I think I will just watch. MERCUTIO: Oh come off it! Cheer up and BOOGIE!! (MERCUTIO: dances around.) ROMEO: I don’t think coming to a CAPULET party is a very good idea. I have got a bad feeling about this. BENVOLIO: Come on you two hurry up! We will miss the party at this rate! ROMEO: I wish we would miss it. I have a feeling that something is going to happen tonight. But maybe you are right, come on lets go in. MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO: Yeah! Come on, let’s go have a party!!! (They all exit.)

ACT1 SCENE 5 (Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers) CAPULET: Welcome all! We will have dancing and music tonight! (Music plays, and they dance) ROMEO: Who is that girl over there? BENVOLIO: No idea! ROMEO: She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen! She is brighter than a flame, more precious than a diamond she makes all the other girls here look so ugly! I can’t believe I thought I was in love before, Now I have seen her, I know what true love is. TYBALT: That sounds like a MONTAGUE! You! Quick, get me my sword! How dare he come to OUR party like this!! I am going to kill him! LORD CAPULET: Hey TYBALT! What is the matter? Where are you going with that sword? TYBALT: Uncle, this is a MONTAGUE, our enemy! He has come to ruin our party! CAPULET: Young ROMEO is it? TYBALT: Yes! CAPULET: Leave him alone. I have heard that he is good lad, I will not allow him to be hurt in my house. Now come on, this is a party! TYBALT: I will not leave him alone!! CAPULET: Oh yes you will! This is my house and what I say goes! TYBALT: You have GOT to be joking!! CAPULET: I am not joking, now stop this! People are looking and you are spoiling the party! Come on everyone! Let’s dance! TYBALT: OK, I will leave him alone tonight, but I won’t forget this! (Exit TYBALT) ROMEO: I know that I am not worthy to touch your hand but would you dance with me? JULIET: You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. Of course I will dance with you. ROMEO: If I am good enough to dance with you, am I good enough to kiss you? JULIET: I think you are. (They kiss) NURSE: JULIET! Your Mother wants to speak to you! (JULIET: leaves) ROMEO: Who is her mother?

NURSE: Well, well! Her mother is Lady CAPULET. ROMEO: She is a CAPULET? Oh no! BENVOLIO: Let’s get out of here. CAPULET: Leaving already? My word it is quite late! Well then off to bed! (Exit all but JULIET and NURSE) JULIET: Come here quick! Who is that? NURSE: I don’t know. JULIET: Go ask his name. NURSE: His name is ROMEO, and a MONTAGUE; the only son of your great enemy. JULIET: My only love sprung from my only hate! NURSE: What?! JULIET: Oh nothing, forget I spoke. Come on, let’s go to bed.

ACT 2 SCENE 1 (Enter ROMEO) ROMEO: How can I go home without seeing her again? (He climbs the wall, and leaps down within it. Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO) BENVOLIO: ROMEO! My cousin ROMEO! MERCUTIO: I reckon he has gone home to bed. Oh ROMEO! ROMEO! You miserable so and so! You pathetic, girly, love sick puppy! BENVOLIO: Well, its pointless looking for him now if he heard you he will just be annoyed! Come on lets go home! (Exit BENVOLIO AND MERCUTIO)

ACT 2 SCENE 2 (Enter ROMEO) ROMEO: It’s alright for him to laugh! He has never been in love! (JULIET appears above at a window) ROMEO: Oh! Look! There is JULIET! She is like the sun. Oh she is my love! I wish she knew how I felt. Her eyes are like stars. Should I speak to her? Look she rests her hand on her face, I wish that I could stroke her cheek. JULIET: Oh dear. ROMEO: She speaks O, speak again, bright angel! JULIET: O ROMEO, ROMEO! Why do you have to be a MONTAGUE? Leave your family and change your name, and if you won’t just tell me you love me, and I will no longer be a CAPULET! ROMEO: Shall I listen more or shall I speak? JULIET: It’s only your name that is my enemy if your name was Smith or Jones you would still be that same wonderful, handsome ROMEO So please, change your name and be mine forever. ROMEO: I believe what you say is true, just let me be your love and I will change my name! JULIET: Who is there? Who is listening to me?! ROMEO: I do not want to speak my name as you hate it so much. JULIET: I have only heard you speak a few words before but I know your voice! ROMEO! How did you get in here? If any of my family fined you they will kill you! ROMEO: I climbed the walls, nothing could keep me away from you! JULIET: But if they see you they will kill you! ROMEO: I am more afraid that you will say you don’t love me than I am that they will find me! Besides, it is so dark No-one will find me here. Tell me, did you mean what I heard you say? Do you love me? JULIET: I am so embarrassed that you heard what I said! Do you love me? No wait, don’t answer, I think that you will say yes But I need to know if you really mean it. Do you love me? ROMEO: JULIET, I swear I love you and if you love me too then… JULIET: No do not say anymore! This is all too sudden! My head is spinning! I must go. When we see each other again we will know if this is real. Good night, good night! ROMEO: Don’t go! Tell me you love me too. JULIET: I already have! NURSE: (calls within) JULIET!!

JULIET: Someone is coming! Good night my love! NURSE: JULIET!!! JULIET: I’m coming!! Wait here, I will be back! (JULIET Exit) ROMEO: Is this all a dream? It is too good to be true! (Re-enter JULIET) JULIET: ROMEO, if you mean what you say then marry me tomorrow. NURSE: JULIET!!! JULIET I’m coming! What do you say? I will send a messenger to you tomorrow to hear your answer. Good night! (Exit JULIET) ROMEO: I will miss you so much. (Re-enter JULIET, above) JULIET: Past! ROMEO! ROMEO: Yes love? JULIET: What time tomorrow shall I send my messenger? ROMEO: Nine am. JULIET: It feels like twenty years until then. Good night! ROMEO: I must go and see Father Lawrence, Explain what has happened and see if he will marry us! (Exit)

ACT 2 SCENE 3 (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE) FRIAR LAURENCE: It is so early! I must get to work though, making my potions and cures. I know how to brew a cure for nearly all illness and I know the poisons that grow beside them. (Enter ROMEO) ROMEO: Good morning, father. FRIAR LAURENCE: Bless me! It is young ROMEO! You are up early, but looking at you again, I wonder, have you even been to bed? ROMEO: I have not been to bed Father. FRIAR LAURENCE: Where have you been, then?

ROMEO: I have been at the CAPULET’s house, they had a party last night. I met someone, we are in love and we need your help. FRIAR LAURENCE: Who are you in love with now? I take it is not the same girl as last week, the one who wasn’t interested? ROMEO: No, not her, she is an ugly crow Compared to the one I love now. Her name is JULIET, and she is the daughter of Lord CAPULET. She loves me too. We want you to marry us today. FRIAR LAURENCE: Holy Saint Francis! You only just met! You have been crying over some other girl for weeks! ROMEO: Don’t say that! JULIET loves me and I love her! So will you marry us? FRIAR LAURENCE: Well, I think it is very quick, I hope that you won’t regret this choice. But if you two get married it might stop the fighting between your families. I will help you. Let’s go. (Exit)

ACT 2 SCENE 4 (Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO) MERCUTIO: Where is ROMEO? Did he come home last night? BENVOLIO: No he didn’t. Listen to this though, you know TYBALT? She has sent a challenge to ROMEO to come and fight her! MERCUTIO: Do you think ROMEO will fight her? BENVOLIO: Yeah and he will win! MERCUTIO: If he can stop day dreaming over this mystery girl for long enough! TYBALT is really hard, I’m not sure if ROMEO could take her in a fight. (Enter ROMEO) BENVOLIO: Here comes ROMEO. MERCUTIO: Where have you been? We spent ages looking for you last night! ROMEO: Morning boys! MERCUTIO: Is that all you have got to say for yourself?! ROMEO: I am sorry MERCUTIO. I had something to do. MERCUTIO: We are supposed to be your best mates and you go all gooey over some girl and run off! ROMEO: Who is this? (Enter NURSE and PETER)

MERCUTIO: What does she look like!! NURSE: Hello boys! I am looking for ROMEO of the MONTAGU: s. Do you know him? ROMEO: I am ROMEO. NURSE: I need a private word with you. BENVOLIO: Pooh ROMEO has a date!! MERCUTIO: Hey ROMEO, is this the secret girlfriend?! ROMEO: Come on. MERCUTIO: Goodbye gorgeous! (Exit MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO) NURSE: WELL! He was a cheeky so and so! And you Peter! Why didn’t you defend me? PETER: He was only joking! ROMEO: Just ignore MERCUTIO. NURSE: OH I am so CROSS! I can hardly remember why I am here! Oh yes! My lady JULIET sent me to you. ROMEO: JULIET! NURSE: She has told me about your plans and I just want to say that if you have changed your mind, or if you hurt her then you will have to answer to me! ROMEO: I would never hurt her. Tell her that we are to be married at three o’clock In Friar Lawrence’s church. NURSE: Oh! She will be so happy! Come on Peter! PETER: Yes Madame. (Exit)

ACT 2 SCENE 5 (Enter JULIET :) JULIET: The NURSE has been gone for three hours now! Maybe she couldn’t find ROMEO? Oh the time is dragging so slowly! Here she comes!! (Enter NURSE) JULIET: O my dearest NURSE, what news? Have you seen ROMEO? What did he say? NURSE: I am so tired! What a morning!! JULIET: NURSE, what did ROMEO say? NURSE: Hang on! Can’t you see I am out of breath? JULIET: Is the news good or bad? Just tell me that! NURSE: Well, I can’t say I think much of your choice! ROMEO! He is alright I suppose but not all that handsome. He does seem quite well spoken, and I suppose he does have nice eyes…. JULIET: NURSE! I know what he looks like! What did he say about our wedding?! NURSE: Oh I have such a headache! JULIET: Oh dear, look NURSE I am sorry that you are ill But PLEASE tell me what he said! NURSE: You are to be married at two o’clock today At Friar Lawrence’s church. Ah! That has brought some color to your face! Go girl, be happy! JULIET: Thank you! (Exit JULIET and NURSE) (The wedding scene will be played to music.)

ACT 3 SCENE 1 (Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO) BENVOLIO: Come on MERCUTIO, let's go home. There are CAPULETs everywhere we are going to get into a fight! MERCUTIO: Don’t be such a wimp. BENVOLIO: Oh thanks! Great, here come the CAPULETs! I told you! MERCUTIO: Oh let them come! I don’t care! (Enter TYBALT: and others) TYBALT: Alright lads? I want a word with you.

MERCUTIO: Just a word? Why not make it a word and a punch? TYBALT: If you wind me up I will. MERCUTIO: OOOOOHH! SCARY!! (He pushes TYBALT) BENVOLIO: Cut it out! You remember what the Princess said she will kill anyone she finds fighting in the streets! TYBALT: MERCUTIO, I know you hang out with that idiot ROMEO, I want him, not you. MERCUTIO: Who are you calling an idiot? You should take a look in a mirror if you want to see the real idiot around here! (Enter ROMEO) TYBALT: Well look who it is! ROMEO, you are a villain. ROMEO: I am no villain! If you think that then you don’t know me at all. Normally I would have you for calling me that but I have a good reason not to fight you. So goodbye. TYBALT: You coward! You have insulted my family by crashing our party. Fight me! ROMEO: No. MERCUTIO: What!? Are you going to let her get away with that? TYBALT, I will fight you! TYBALT: What? MERCUTIO: I will fight you, who do you think you are anyway? Stupid CAPULET! TYBALT: Right, that’s it! (They fight) ROMEO: Stop! BENVOLIO help me! (TYBALT under ROMEO's arm stabs MERCUTIO, and runs off with his followers) MERCUTIO: I am hurt, fetch a doctor! ROMEO: Come on, it can’t be that bad? MERCUTIO: Oh no it’s just a scratch but it is enough. I am done for. Why? Why did you hold me back? It is your fault that I am hurt! ROMEO: I thought I was doing the right thing. MERCUTIO: Help me BENVOLIO! A curse on all CAPULETs and MONTAGUEs! It is because of your stupid fighting that I am dying! (Exit MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO)

ROMEO: It’s all my fault. MERCUTIO is one of my best friends, but TYBALT is my new wife’s cousin! What was I supposed to do? (Re-enter BENVOLIO) BENVOLIO: O ROMEO MERCUTIO's dead! And here comes TYBALT back again. ROMEO: She has killed my friend! I can’t let her get away again! (Re-enter TYBALT) ROMEO: TYBALT! Brave MERCUTIO lies dead because of you, but his soul is waiting above our heads either you or I must join him! Now, let us see who it is to be! (They fight and TYBALT falls) BENVOLIO: ROMEO, get out of here! The Prince is coming! ROMEO: What have I done? BENVOLIO: RUN! (Exit ROMEO: Enter PRINCESS, LADY CAPULET) PRINCESS: What has happened here? BENVOLIO: TYBALT killed Mercutio, So ROMEO killed TYBALT. LADY CAPULET: TYBALT, my cousin! Prince, I demand revenge! PRINCESS: BENVOLIO, who began this fight? BENVOLIO: TYBALT. She tried to fight ROMEO, But ROMEO said no. TYBALT fought and killed MERCUTIO, and then came back again, looking again for ROMEO They fought and ROMEO killed her. LADY CAPULET: He is a MONTAGUE! You can’t believe him! ROMEO killed TYBALT! He must die! PRINCESS: For ROMEO’s crime he will be exiled. Never again to return to Verona. (Exit)

ACT 3 SCENE 2 (Enter JULIET) JULIET: I can’t wait until tonight, to see my ROMEO again. O, here comes my NURSE. You look so upset! What has happened? NURSE: Dead! Brave, good and true and now dead! JULIET: What? Dead? My true love? We only got married today? Why? Why did this happen? I can’t live without him!

NURSE: I wish that ROMEO were dead! JULIET: What? I don’t understand! You just told me he WAS dead! Tell me what is going on? Is my ROMEO dead or not? NURSE: TYBALT is dead! She was killed, Killed by ROMEO and now ROMEO is exiled, Never again to return to Verona! JULIET: O No! How could such a handsome face hide a killer? Was I wrong to love him? NURSE: A curse on ROMEO! JULIET: How dare you! NURSE: How can you defend the man who killed your cousin? JULIET: That man is my husband! And he is banished? Then will I never see him again? NURSE: I know that he is hiding at Friar Lawrence’s church. I will find him and bring him to you. JULIET so we can say our last goodbyes. (Exit)

ACT 3 SCENE 3 (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE) FRIAR LAURENCE: ROMEO! Come out! You are in so much trouble. (Enter ROMEO) ROMEO: What news? What has the Princess decided? Am I to be put to death? FRIAR LAURENCE: The Princess has been merciful, you are not to die but to leave Verona forever. ROMEO: Away from JULIET? Forever? I would rather die! FRIAR LAURENCE: I am sure we can think of something. ROMEO: No! I will not live without JULIET! FRIAR LAURENCE: Don’t be so ungrateful! Better to be sent away than to die! (Knock at the door) FRIAR LAURENCE: ROMEO, hide! ROMEO: No!

(Knocking) FRIAR LAURENCE: ROMEO! You will be taken away! HIDE! (Knocking and ROMEO hides) FRIAR LAURENCE: Who is there? What do you want? NURSE: I come from Lady JULIET. FRIAR LAURENCE: Welcome, then. (Enter NURSE) NURSE: Where is my lady's lord, where's ROMEO? FRIAR LAURENCE: Hiding and very unhappy. NURSE: JULIET too, she hasn’t stopped crying! ROMEO! Stand up! Be a man, for JULIET you must be strong! ROMEO: NURSE! NURSE: ROMEO! ROMEO: How is JULIET! Does she hate me for killing her cousin? What does she say about me having to leave? NURSE: O, she says nothing, sir, but cries and cries. ROMEO: I hate myself for doing this to her! I would be better dead! (Draws his sword and points it at his own heart) FRIAR LAURENCE: STOP! You foolish man! Listen, TYBALT wanted to kill you, but you killed her instead, that’s a good thing! The law says you should have been killed for what you did, Instead you are only sent away, that’s a good thing, JULIET is alive and loves you still, and again you should be happy not crying and moaning! Go and see JULIET tonight, but leave early in the morning for Mantua. Live there, until we can find a good time to tell everyone about your marriage, Beg forgiveness of the princess and bring you back! NURSE: You are so wise! ROMEO I will tell JULIET you are coming. Here is a ring she asked me to give you. ROMEO: Then she does still love me! (NURSE: Exit) FRIAR LAURENCE: Go quickly, go to see JULIET! Stay in Mantua and I will send a message to you As soon as I can! Farewell. ROMEO: I am going to miss you. I must go to JULIET! (Exit)

ACT 3 SCENE 4 (Enter CAPULET! LADY CAPULET! And PARIS) CAPULET: TYBALT’s death has meant that I have had not had time to speak to JULIET about your wedding. PARIS: I understand, in times of sadness, there is no room for love. Madam, good night: speak well of me to JULIET! LADY CAPULET: I will, and I will know how she feels in the morning. To-night she is too sad about TYBALT! CAPULET: Sir PARIS! I will take a chance and tell you that JULIET does love you. She is a good girl and normally does as I tell her. Wife, go to JULIET and tell that PARIS loves her and that on Wednesday no that is too soon, on Thursday, she will become his wife! Will you be ready? Is this alright with you? It won’t be a big do, not with TYBALT being only just killed, people might think we are being disrespectful! So what do you think to Thursday then? PARIS: My lord, I wish that Thursday was tomorrow! CAPULET: Fantastic! Thursday it is then! See you then! Wife, go to JULIET and prepare her to be married! Good night! (Exit)

ACT 3 SCENE 5 (Enter ROMEO and JULIET) JULIET: Do you have to go? It’s not even nearly day. I can still hear the nightingales singing! ROMEO: It was the lark, singing of the coming of morning, not the nightingale: look, love, the sun is rising! I must be gone and live, or stay and die. JULIET: That light is not the sun! It could be a shooting star sent to light your journey, so you don’t need to go yet! ROMEO: Fine! My love, you are right it is not the sun! Let me be taken, let me die! JULIET: wishes it to be so! JULIET: Oh it is the sun! It is! Go ROMEO go! It is getting lighter and lighter now! ROMEO: The more light there is the darker my heart grows! (Enter NURSE! to the chamber) NURSE: Madam! JULIET: NURSE! NURSE: You mother is coming! Day is breaking, look out! (Exit)

JULIET: Then, window, let day in, and let life out. ROMEO: Farewell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll go. (He moves away) JULIET: Are you still there my darling husband? You must write to me every day. It feels like forever until I can see you again. ROMEO: Farewell! I will write to you all the time. JULIET: O do you think we shall ever meet again? ROMEO: Of course my love, we will look back on this and laugh! JULIET: O no, no. I think I can see you in my mind, and you are dead! How pale you look! ROMEO: You look pale to me too, it is only because we are sad to part. I must go, goodbye! (Exit) JULIET: Hurry back to me. (LADY CAPULET call from offstage) LADY CAPULET: Daughter? Are you up? JULIET: Is that my mother? She is up early! I wonder why? (Enter LADY CAPULET) LADY CAPULET: JULIET! What’s wrong? JULIET: I am not well. LADY CAPULET: Still weeping for TYBALT! Well, I suppose it shows how much you loved her, but you must cheer up! JULIET: I will cry, for as long as I feel my terrible loss. LADY CAPULET: Well, shall I tell you some wonderful, joyful news? JULIET: I could do with some joyful news! What is it? LADY CAPULET: Well, you are lucky to have a father who cares for you! He has decided to cheer you up by arranging a day of joy, one that you will not expect, and I had hardly dare hope would happen! JULIET: Day of joy? LADY CAPULET: Next Thursday morning, the young, rich and handsome man, Lord PARIS! at Saint Peter's Church, Shall happily make you a joyful bride! JULIET: NO! By Saint Peter’s church! He will not make me a joyful bride! How can you expect me to get married so fast!? I have hardly even met him! Tell my father I will not marry PARIS! I will NEVER marry PARIS! I hate him!

LADY CAPULET: Here comes your father; tell him so yourself, and see how he takes it! (Enter CAPULET and NURSE) CAPULET: Still crying JULIET! Have you not told her the good news? LADY CAPULET: I have, but she says she will not marry him! CAPULET: What? How dare she? Is she not grateful for my hard work in finding her so handsome and rich a husband? Is she not proud that pathetic and unworthy as she is that a Lord wants to marry her? JULIET: How can I be proud or grateful for something I hate? CAPULET: How dare you! Who do you think you are? Answering me back! Arguing with my decision! You will prepare yourself to be married on Thursday If I have to drag you there, you will go! You ugly, ungrateful, rude disobedient child! LADY CAPULET: Stop! Stop have you gone mad!? JULIET: Father, I beg you on my knees, please listen! CAPULET: No! You disgusting, disobedient child! Get off me! You will get yourself to church on Thursday or never after can you be my daughter, can you starve in the streets for all I care! Do as I say! I wish that you had never been born! NURSE: My Lord! Stop shouting at her like that! CAPULET: Get out NURSE! NURSE: I haven’t said anything wrong! CAPULET: Shut up you mumbling old fool! LADY CAPULET: Calm down! CAPULET: It makes me so angry! I have been working for years to find her a husband! A Lord, handsome, rich, a real catch! And she cries and whines, she says “I will not love! I am too young!” No! I will not be made to look a fool. I mean what I say; you will do as I command Or you will starve, beg in the streets, Die for all I care!! You will be married on Thursday! (Exit) JULIET: Will no-one listen to me? Mother! Don’t send me away! Don’t make me marry PARIS! LADY CAPULET: Don’t speak to me! I have had enough of you! (Exit) JULIET: Oh NURSE! What can we do? I am married to ROMEO! Please NURSE! help me! Comfort me! NURSE: Well, here’s what I think. ROMEO is sent away for ever, he may never return! I think it best you marry PARIS! Oh JULIET! PARIS is so handsome and rich, He is so much better than ROMEO! I think you are lucky to have a second marriage, it is so much better than you are first, And anyway ROME: is as good as dead being so far away! JULIET: Do you really mean that? NURSE: I do.

JULIET: Then there is the end. NURSE: What? JULIET: Well, I feel so much better now! Go to my Father, tell him I am sorry and that I have gone to see Father Laurence to pray for forgiveness. NURSE: I will. Good for you! (Exit) JULIET: You old hag! How could you say such things to me! From now on you and I are finished. I will go and see Friar Laurence see if he can help me! (Exit)

ACT 4 SCENE 1 (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and PARIS) FRIAR LAURENCE: On Thursday, sir? That is not much time! PARIS: Lord CAPULET wants the wedding to be Thursday and I am happy to go agree! FRIAR LAURENCE: You say you are not sure how JULIET feels? I don’t like the sound of this much. PARIS: She is so upset over TYBALT! Her father thinks that this will cheer her up. FRIAR LAURENCE: Look sir, here is JULIET now. (Enter JULIET) PARIS: Hello! My lady and my wife! JULIET: Not yet sir. PARIS: On Thursday you will be! JULIET: What must be shall be. PARIS: Are you here to see Father Laurence? JULIET: Yes. PARIS: Will you tell him that you love me? JULIET: If I do, I would rather say it when you are not here to listen. PARIS: Then I will leave you! (Exit) JULIET: Oh shut the door! Tell me what to do! I can’t marry PARIS! FRIAR LAURENCE: I know! I know! Things look so bad, but I do have an idea. It is so risky though, and you will need to be very brave. JULIET: I would rather jump of the highest bridge than marry PARIS! I would rather be thrown into a pit of snakes!

FRIAR LAURENCE: OK then this is what we shall do. Go home, be very cheerful and happy. Say that you have changed your mind and that you will marry PARIS! Once you are in bed on Wednesday night and everyone has left you, drink this. Your skin will grow pale and cold, you will not seem to breathe. In the morning when they come to fetch you, they will think that you are dead. They will carry you to your family’s tomb. After two days, you will wake up, and I will send for ROMEO to be there when you do So that he can take you away with him. Do you think that you are brave enough? JULIET: Give it to me! I am not afraid! FRIAR LAURENCE: Go then, do as I say. I will write to ROMEO! (Exit)

ACT 4 SCENE 2 (Enter CAPULET! LADY CAPULET! NURSE) CAPULET: Here are the plans for the wedding, the guest list and the menu. I don’t know if we will be ready in time! Where is JULIET! NURSE: Gone to see Friar Laurence. CAPULET: Maybe he can talk some sense into her. NURSE: Here she comes now! She looks happy! (Enter JULIET) CAPULET: JULIET! How are you? JULIET: I have come to say that I am sorry. From now on I will do as you ask. CAPULET: I am so pleased to hear that! We will tell PARIS! JULIET: I have seen him today at Friar Laurence’s house, and I showed him how I felt. CAPULET: What fantastic news! We owe so much thanks to Friar Laurence for making you see sense! JULIET: NURSE! Will you come with me to my room and help me choose a dress for my wedding? (Exit JULIET and NURSE) LADY CAPULET: We will never be ready for this wedding in time! CAPULET: Don’t worry! I will sort it all out, you go and help the NURSE with JULIET’s dress. I am so happy to see JULIET back to her old self! (Exit)

ACT 4 SCENE 3 (Enter JULIET and NURSE) JULIET: Yes, that dress is lovely NURSE! Will you leave me on my own tonight? I need some time to myself before my big day. (Enter LADY CAPULET) LADY CAPULET: Do you need my help? JULIET: No mother, we have found a lovely dress. Why don’t you let the NURSE look after you tonight for a change? I would like to be on my own for a while, Tomorrow will be such a busy day. There must be so many things to get ready, perhaps she could help? LADY CAPULET: Good night JULIET! Sleep well! (Exit LADY CAPULET and NURSE) JULIET: Goodbye. God knows when we shall meet again. I am so scared of what I have to do now. What if the potion doesn’t work? Then I will end up getting married tomorrow! Or even worse, what I wake up too early, Before ROMEO has come to get me And I am in the grave surrounded with bones And skulls and rats! No, I mustn’t think about it! ROMEO! I drink to you! (She falls upon her bed)

ACT 4 SCENE 4 (Enter LADY CAPULET! CAPULET and NURSE) LADY CAPULET: Come here and take these for the tables, and where is the wedding cake? NURSE: They are just finishing the icing now! CAPULET: Hurry, hurry! It is nearly nine! PARIS will be here soon! (Music) CAPULET: NURSE! Wife! Here is PARIS now! Go and get JULIET up, NURSE! And get her dressed! (Exit NURSE)

ACT 4 SCENE 5 (Enter NURSE :) NURSE: JULIET! JULIET! Oh bless her she is fast asleep! JULIET! JULIET! Oh come on you lazy bones it is your wedding day, you should be up and about! JULIET! JULIET! Why are you still dressed? JULIET!!!! Oh she is as cold as ice! Oh she’s dead! She’s dead!! Oh Lady CAPULET! Lord CAPULET!! (Enter LADY CAPULET) LADY CAPULET: What’s all the noise? NURSE: Oh no! Oh sad day! LADY CAPULET: What is the matter? NURSE: Look, look! LADY CAPULET: Oh no! Oh no! My child! My life! Oh wake up! WAKE UP! Oh NURSE! Call for help! (Enter CAPULET) CAPULET: Come on where is JULIET! PARIS is waiting! NURSE: She's dead! Oh sad day! LADY CAPULET: She's dead, she's dead, and she’s dead! CAPULET: Let me see her! No, no she is dead. Death lies on her lips like frost. (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and PARIS) FRIAR LAURENCE: Is the bride ready to go to church? CAPULET: She will go to church but not return! She is dead. Oh PARIS! Death has stolen your wife! PARIS: I have waited so long for today, and this is what it brings! LADY CAPULET: Accursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day! This is the worst day of my life! I had only one child and now she is gone. NURSE: Oh this truly is the worst day ever known! FRIAR LAURENCE: Dry up your tears, she is in heaven now. Cover her in flowers and take her to church. She will be laid to rest in your great monument. CAPULET: Cancel all the wedding plans and where there was light and joy and color let there be black. (Exit)

ACT 5 SCENE 1 (Enter ROMEO) ROMEO: I had a dream that I would get some good news today! A dream that JULIET found me dead, but kissed me back to life! (Enter BALTHASAR) ROMEO: Ah! News from Verona! Do you have letters for me? From Friar Laurence? How is my Father? How is JULIET! As long as she is well I am happy! BALTHASAR: Oh ROMEO! JULIET is dead! I saw them bury her in CAPULET’s tomb, and I came here at once to tell you! ROMEO: NO! Get me a horse. I leave for Verona tonight. BALTHASAR: Wait! You look like a madman! ROMEO: I am fine. Have you no letters to me from the friar? BALTHASAR: No, my good lord. ROMEO: Never mind, just go and get the horses. (Exit BALTHASAR) ROMEO: Well, JULIET! I will sleep next to you tonight. How shall I choose to die? I think I can remember an apothecary who sells some potions that I could use. I will go to him now. (ROMEO: leaves and walks for a while then bangs on a door. Enter Apothecary) APOTHECARY: Who calls so loud? ROMEO: Come here. Do you know how to make a poison that will quickly allow a man to end his life? APOTHECARY: Such drugs I have; but the law Is death to anyone who sells them. ROMEO: I can see that you are poor. I will give you a thousand pieces of gold for a bottle of your drug. APOTHECARY: It is only because I am so poor that I will agree. Take this and put it in any drink you like. It will do the job. ROMEO: There is your gold. Goodbye! Buy yourself some food. To me this is heaven, not poison! I will use you at JULIET’s grave. (Exit)

ACT 5 SCENE 2 (Enter FRIAR JOHN) FRIAR JOHN: Friar Laurence! Are you in? (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE) FRIAR LAURENCE: Hello Friar John! Just got back from Mantua? How was ROMEO! Did he send me a letter? FRIAR JOHN: I have not been to Mantua! I was delayed. FRIAR LAURENCE: Who took the letter I sent to ROMEO then? FRIAR JOHN: its here I could not send it. FRIAR LAURENCE: Oh no! That was a very important letter! Then ROMEO will not be there when JULIET wakes! Oh quick! We must go to the cemetery! I will bring JULIET back here until I can send for ROMEO! (Exit)

ACT 5 SCENE 3 (Enter PARIS) PARIS: My sweet flower, my JULIET! I bring you flowers. I will come to your grave and cry every night. (Hears a sound) PARIS: Someone’s coming! (He hides) (Enter ROMEO and BALTHASAR) ROMEO: Give me the crow bar so I can enter the tomb. Here is a letter for my mother, Please deliver it in the morning. Now go away, I only want to see her face again and take a ring from her finger, but I don’t want to be disturbed. BALTHASAR: I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you. ROMEO: Thank you, friend. Now goodbye. BALTHASAR: He looks wild, I’m afraid he will do something awful so I will hide here and check if he is OK. (Hides) ROMEO: Now I will see my love. (Opens the tomb) PARIS: That’s ROMEO! He has come to harm the bodies of his CAPULET enemies! STOP! You vile MONTAGUE! I arrest you in the name of the Princess! ROMEO: You are a good man PARIS so I will give you a chance, I will enter this grave and if you try to stop me then I will kill you. So go away! PARIS: No! I arrest you!

ROMEO: You will not take me! (They fight) PARIS: O, I am killed! (Fall) PARIS: Please, please lie me with JULIET! (Dies) ROMEO: I will. Poor PARIS! (Laying PARIS in the tomb) Oh there is my love, my JULIET! You are still so beautiful, how can that be? There is TYBALT! Wrapped in her shroud, I will make things right TYBALT! And use the hand that killed you to finish my own life. JULIET! you are still so lovely, I will stay with you here forever. Eyes, look for the last time. Arms, take a last embrace. Lips, one final kiss. Here's to my love! (Drinks) ROMEO: Oh these drugs are quick. So with a kiss I die. (Dies) (JULIET: wakes) JULIET: Oh! I remember where I am! But where is my ROMEO! Here! And PARIS too, both dead? What’s this? ROMEO has drunk poison! There is none left to help me follow you! I will miss you. Maybe some of the mixture is still on your lips? No. Someone is coming. I must be quick! Oh a dagger! So I die! (Falls on ROMEO's body, and dies) (Enter FRIAR LAURENCE outside the tomb) FRIAR LAURENCE: I must be quick! Who is there? BALTHASAR: Balthasar, I came here with ROMEO! FRIAR LAURENCE: Then that is his torch I see in CAPULET’s tomb? BALTHASAR It is. FRIAR LAURENCE: How long has he been there? BALTHASAR: For half an hour. FRIAR LAURENCE: Come with me quickly! BALTHASAR: I can’t I told him I was gone! FRIAR LAURENCE: Stay, then; I'll go alone. ROMEO! (Enters the tomb) FRIAR LAURENCE: ROMEO! And PARIS too? And JULIET! All dead! (Enter the Princess) PRINCESS: What is this? PARIS is killed! ROMEO too lies here dead And JULIET warm and bleeding and dead again? Who can tell me what has happened here? (Enter rest of the cast) CAPULET: What is going on? LADY CAPULET: The people in the street shout ROMEO! Some say JULIET! And some PARIS; and all run, towards our monument.

CAPULET: O heavens! O wife, look how JULIET bleeds! But she was dead! LADY CAPULET: Oh! LADY MONTAGUE: What? Is that my ROMEO! How can this be? PRINCESS: Quiet all of you! I want to know what has happened here! FRIAR LAURENCE: I can tell you what has happened. PRINCESS: Then tell me at once. FRIAR LAURENCE: I will. ROMEO and JULIET were married. I married them the same day the TYBALT was killed. So ROMEO was sent away it was for him and not TYBALT that JULIET cried. You then tried to force her to marry which she could not do; as she was already a wife. So she came to me for help. I gave her a sleeping potion to make her look dead and tried to arrange for ROMEO to collect her when she woke. My letter to ROMEO was never delivered and when he heard of her death He came back to end his own life and lie with her. This he did and upon waking JULIET saw her true love dead and ended her own life. PRINCESS: Why was PARIS here? BALTHASAR: He came with flowers for JULIET He saw ROMEO and they fought. PRINCESS: Lord CAPULET! Lady MONTAGUE! See, what how God despises your hate, that he kills your children with love. I have been too soft on you both and I too have lost relatives in this fight. We are all punished. CAPULET: O sister MONTAGUE! Give me your hand: We are friends. LADY MONTAGUE: I will build JULIET a statue in pure gold, for she was a true and faithful wife. CAPULET: And I will build one for ROMEO! PRINCESS: We have a grey peace this morning. The sun is too sad to raise his head. We will talk more of these sad things. For never was a story of more woe than this of JULIET and her ROMEO!

(END)