The Story

The play begins as Juliet Capulet wakes up from a deep, drugged sleep. She is in a burial vault and her beloved Romeo is dead. She pieces together the events that have led to this moment, and we experience what has happened through her eyes… The action begins in Verona where two families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are deeply divided. A street fight breaks out between the two households’ servants. The Prince arrives and declares that the punishment for any further fighting will be death. This same Prince, named Paris, wants to marry Juliet. He tells her mother, Lady Capulet, and she invites him to a party at their house that evening to meet her daughter.

The Montagues have a son, Romeo. Romeo tells his cousin Benvolio that he’s terribly sad because he’s in love with a young woman named Rosaline, who does not love him back. Romeo and Benvolio know about the Capulet party and that Rosaline is going to be there. They aren’t invited but they decide to go anyway; since it’s a masked party, they won’t be recognized as Montagues. Romeo gets into the party, sees Juliet, and they instantly fall in love. But then Juliet’s cousin Tybalt recognizes Romeo and is furious that a Montague is at a Capulet party. Lady Capulet stops Tybalt from starting a fight, but Tybalt vows revenge on Romeo. Romeo slips away from the party and hides in the Capulet family orchard. He sees Juliet looking out from a high window. They declare their love and agree to get married the next day. The couple plans their secret wedding. Romeo gets help from Friar Laurence, and Juliet’s nurse helps her. Just after the ceremony, Tybalt sees Romeo again and challenges him to a fight. Romeo says no: since he and Juliet are now married, he sees Tybalt as family. But Mercutio decides to fight Tybalt in Romeo’s place. Romeo tries to stop the fight, but Tybalt kills Mercutio. In a rage, Romeo immediately fights and kills Tybalt. Prince Paris arrives on the scene and banishes Romeo from Verona. Romeo and Juliet say goodbye and Romeo leaves Verona. Then Juliet’s mother tells her that she has to marry Prince Paris in just a few days. When Juliet refuses, Lady Capulet threatens to disown her. Juliet asks for help from Friar Laurence, who gives her a potion that causes a deep sleep that looks like death. The plan is simple: Juliet will take the potion, appear dead, and be placed in the family tomb. Friar Laurence will write to Romeo so that Romeo can be there when Juliet wakes up, and the couple can run away to Mantua to wait until a time when everyone will welcome them back. Juliet takes the potion and is placed into the tomb, and we are back where the play began.

Set design inspiration for colour palette of the crypt in Romeo and Juliet courtesy of Set Designer Pam Johnson Costume design inspiration for Romeo and Juliet