EP Year 5 present…

Romeo and
Juliet
from

Romeo and Juliet

By
William Shakespeare

Page 0
Characters
Prince Escalus, Prince of Verona - Callum
Count Paris, a young friend to the Prince - Louis

The Montagues
Lord Montague, head of the house of Montague - Archie
Lady Montague - Rachel
Romeo, the Montagues’ son - Eugene
Mercutio, Romeo’s friend - Lee
Benvolio, Romeo’s friend - Peggy
Abraham, swordsman for the Montagues - Josh
Balthasar, swordsman for the Montagues - William
Watchman & sword fighter 1 - Hamza

The Capulet
Lord Capulet, head of the house of Capulet - Tom
Lady Capulet - Trinity
Tybalt, Lord Capulet’s nephew -Jimi
Sampson, swordsman and friend of Tybalt - Nathan
Juliet, the Capulets’ daughter - Katerina
Juliet’s Nurses and best friends: Freya, Sawdah & Jemima
Gregory, swordsman for the Capulets - Harry
Watchman & sword fighter 2 - Subeer

Sister Lauren - Maddy

Sister Josephine - Esme
Apothecaries, sellers of poisons and potions – Myron & Joey

Romeo rappers, telling the story in modern language:

Gabriel, Jerry, Jude, Arnold, Luc & Danny

Scene 1.

Page 1
Whole class enters to music (I giorini) and each have a handshake if they are
on the same side, or a mimed aggressive action, separating into the Capulets
and the Montagues on stage and going to the benches. When everyone is in,
we do our prepared actions learnt in PE!

Paris:
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;
Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

Sampson and Gregory come in last.

Sampson: (Boastfully and full of hatred) I strike quickly, being moved, and a
dog of the house of Montague moves me.

Gregory: (Aggressively) The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
Draw: here come two of the house of Montague.

(Enter Abraham and Balthasar, armed)

Sampson: (Drawing) I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them.

(He bites his thumb at them.)

Abraham: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Sampson: I bite my thumb, sir.

Gregory: Do you quarrel, sir?

Abraham: Quarrel, sir! No, sir.

Sampson: If you do, I am for you; I serve a better man than you.

Abraham: You lie!

Sampson: Draw, if you be men!

(They prepare to fight. Enter Benvolio.)

Benvolio: Part, fools! (Beating down their swords) You know not what you
do!
(Enter Tybalt.)

Tybalt: (Drawing) What, art drawn, Benvolio? Look upon thy death.

Page 2
Benvolio: I do it but to keep the peace.

Tybalt: Peace? I hate the word, as I hate all Montagues! (Loudly) Have at
thee!
(They circle, feinting. Others of both houses enter and face each other.)

Montagues: Down with the Capulets!

Capulets: Down with the Montagues!

(Enter at the front of the stage, Lord Capulet and Lady Capulet; at the other
side, Lord Montague and Lady Montague.)

Lord Capulet: Old Montague! My sword!

Lord Montague: Thou villain Capulet!

POSSIBLE SONG: WE’RE GONNA GET YOU Montagues: Verse 1Capulets:

verse 2Men and women separate for 3 and 4.

Everyone freezes in aggressive positions. You must be statues!

Romeo Rappers to a beat:

Gabriel:
A great welcome
this is to our show (sarcastic)
these stupid fools
fight blow for blow

not men at all

they act like beasts
snarling and snapping
not keeping the peace

Jude:
so let’s…. get
this story straight
2 families
Are filled with hate

Capulets
and Montagues
they’ve fought for years
in a fatal feud

Danny:
but the worst thing
about this lot
is that they can’t
remember exactly what

Page 3
 started it all
how did it begin?
All they want
Is a win!

Jerry:
But look over there
At the Prince’s frown
He won’t let mad
Blood rise in town

Arnold:
Anyone fighting
Here today

Luc:
Might with be kicked out
Or with his life… pay!

(Enter the Prince. Trumpet. All fall silent.)

Prince: Thrice have brawls, bred by thee, old Capulet,

And thee, old Montague, disturbed our quiet.
Disturb our streets again and your lives shall pay.
Capulet, come; Montague, this afternoon.
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

(Exit all but Lord Montague, Lady Montague and Benvolio.)

Possible song: Laura’s R& J song.

Scene 2.
Lord Montague: Who set this ancient quarrel new, nephew?

Benvolio: Servants, both Capulet’s and yours, were fighting;

I drew to part them; in comes Tybalt, sword prepared.
Then came more and more, till the prince parted us.

Lady Montague: I’m right glad Romeo was not at this fray.

Benvolio: See, he comes; step aside: I’ll know his grievance.

(Exit Lord Montague and Lady Montague. Enter Romeo and Mercutio.)

Benvolio: Good morrow, cousin.

Romeo: Is the day so young? Ay me! Sad hours seem long.

Benvolio: Why so? What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?

Page 4
Romeo: I am out of her favour, where I am in love.

Mercutio: (with disgust!) In love?

Romeo: In sadness friend, I do love a woman.

Benvolio: Tell me, in sadness, who is that you love.

Romeo: One who hath forsworn to love; and in that vow

Do I live dead that live to tell it now.

Benvolio: Be ruled by me, forget to think of her:

Use thine eyes: examine other beauties.

Romeo: Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget.

Benvolio: I’ll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.

Benvolio is trying to cheer Romeo up and Mercutio is looking irritated. Enter

servant 1

Mercutio: Look, here is another fellow with troubles. Let us see what is the matter.

Servant 2: My master is the great rich Capulet; and he is having a great masked
ball. He has written me a list of those invited but alas, I cannot read it
all.

Benvolio: Why, I will help you sir. (takes the list) Let me see… yes, Lord and Lady
Soandso, great lord Suchandscuh…. ROSALINE….Lady
Humblebumble…

When Romeo hears the name Rosaline, he gets up and looks excited.

Servant 2: Thank you so much kind sir.

Exit servant.

Benvolio: At this same feast of old Capulet

Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so lovest,
With all the other beauties of Verona.
Go, weigh your love against some other maid.

Romeo: I’ll go, but to rejoice in Rosaline

Romeo rappers:

Gabriel:
Back up back up
What have we just seen
Not everyone’s fighting

Page 5
 In this scene

Jude:
Romeo seems
To love some girl
But his friend Mercuitio
Wants to hurl!

Danny:
All this lovey stuff
makes him sick
But now he’s found
A party trick

Jerry:
All 3 lads
Will break into
The masqued ball
The capulet do!

Arnold:
They’re Montagues
So if anyone sees
Their lives will be
History!

Luc:
Why take the risk?
It’s a bad idea
But Romeo’s love
Takes away his fear…
Ooooooh dear… we’re… outa here…!

Scene 3.
( Enter Lord Capulet and Count Paris)

Paris: Now, my lord Capulet, what say you to my suit? (he means his
marriage proposal!)

Lord Capulet: Juliet hath not seen the change of fourteen years,
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart.
This night I hold a feast: you are most welcome.
Come, go with me.

(They freeze on stage, in party positions ie. Drinking wine and talking.)

(Enter Lady Capulet and Juliet.)

Lady Capulet: Tell me, daughter Juliet, how stands

Page 6
 Your disposition to be married?

Juliet: It is an honour that I dream not of.

Lady Capulet: The County Paris seeks you for his love;
What say you? Can you love the gentleman?
This night you shall behold him at our feast.

Juliet: I’ll look to like, if looking move liking,

But no more deep than your consent shall give.

(Enter watchman 2.)

Watchman 2: Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, and you and my
young lady asked for. (Exit.)

Lady Capulet: (excitedly) We follow thee. The County Paris stays;

Come, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.

(Freeze in party positions with masks on! Tudor dancing music in the
background. Enter Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio.)

Benvolio: Come, let us enter, and no sooner in,

Than every man betake him to his legs.

(They put on half-masks and stand aside as Capulet, Lady Capulet, Juliet,
Tybalt and other Capulets enter.)

Lord Capulet: Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day

When I have worn a visor! Come, musicians, play!

Paris: Come, let us enter, and no sooner in,

Than every man betake him to his partner.
Musicians play!

(The music plays louder, and dancing begins. It needs to be very clear on stage
who Juliet, Romeo and Tybalt are. They need to be very visable… everyone else
facing the other way and lower down.)

Benvolio: Come, let us enter, and no sooner in,

Than every man betake him to his legs.

Romeo: (Crossing to Mercutio) What lady’s that?

Mercutio: I know not, sir.

Romeo: Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear.
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.

Tybalt: Uncle, this is that Romeo, a Montague.

Page 7
Lord Capulet: Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone.

Tybalt: I’ll not endure him!

Lord Capulet: He shall be endured:

I am the master here!

Tybalt: Why, uncle, ‘tis a shame —

Capulet: Go to, go to;

Be quiet, or I’ll make you quiet!

Tybalt: (Loudly) I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,

Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall. (Exit in a rage!)

(During the above, Romeo moves quietly round towards Juliet. Paris bows and
leaves her, alone. Romeo takes her hand. Only Romeo and Juliet are moving on
stage. Everyone else silent and still)

Romeo rappers:

Gabriel:
Whoooa! Tybalt’s in
An awful mood
He’s a violent man
And very rude!

He wants to kill
Poor Romeo
Because he is
His family’s foe

Jude:
Lord Capulet
Showed he’s alright
For breaking up
The deadly fight

Danny:
But it’s like Romeo
wants to die
Look who’s caught
Romeo’s eye!

Jerry:
Rosaline?
He’s over that
Our Romeo’s
A fickle cat.

Page 8
Arnold
It’s the daughter of
His enemy
Paris’ girl

Luc (interrupting)
… you’re tellin’ me
He’s picked
A Capulet Juliet?
That’s a move
He will regret!

(Romeo and Juliet stand opposite each other with Romeo bowing to Juliet’s
hand)

Nurse Freya: (interrupting but they still look at each other) Madam, your
mother craves a word with you. (Juliet goes over to her mother)

Romeo: Who is her mother?

Nurse Sawdah: Her mother is the lady of the house.

Romeo: Is she a Capulet? My life is my foe’s debt.

Benvolio: Away, be gone. (Exit Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio)

Juliet: Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman? Go ask his name.

Nurse Jemima: His name is Romeo, and a Montague. The only son of your
great enemy!

Juliet: My only love sprung from my only hate! Exit all.

Nurse Freya: Come, let’s away; the strangers are all gone.

Scene 4
(Capulet’s garden. Enter Romeo. He looks up at Juliet’s window.)

Romeo: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east and Juliet is the sun!

Juliet: (To herself, sighing.) O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou

Romeo?
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; —
O, be some other name, and take myself.

Romeo: Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised.

Page 9
Juliet: I know the sound: what man art thou?
Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?
This place is death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

Romeo: I have night’s cloak to hide me from their sight,

And but thou love me, let them find me here.

Juliet: Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’;
Thou mayst prove false, but I’ll prove true.

Romeo: Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear —

Juliet: O, do not swear: although I do joy in thee,

I have no joy of this contract tonight:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden.

Nurses all: (Off) Juliet!

Juliet: Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true,

If thy purpose is marriage, send word tomorrow,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite.

Nurses all: (Off) Juliet!

Juliet: I come, anon. ‘Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone;
Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow. (Exit.)

Romeo: Hence will I to Sister Laren’s chapel,

His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.
(Exit.)

Page 10
Romeo Rappers:

Gabriel:
Hold up, hold up!
Married already?
They’ve only just met
They should be more steady.

Jude:
And the other problem
With this plan
Is that Juliet’s dad
Found another man

Danny:
Juliet’s engaged
To two men… whoa!
Paris and
Our Romeo
Luc:
The Capulets
Will never agree!
This won’t end well
Wait and see!

Scene 5.
(Sister Lauren’s chapel. Enter Romeo.)

Sister Lauren: (Gathering herbs)

Powerful is the grace in herbs and plants,
For naught so vile that on the earth doth live,
But to the earth some special good doth give.
Within the infant rind of this small flower (Holding up a flower)
Poison hath residence, and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.

Romeo: Good morrow, sisters.

Sister Lauren: (looking at him then teasing) But where hast thou been then?

Sister Josephine: Young son, it argues a distemper’d head

So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed,
Or, if not so, then here I hit it right —
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight

Romeo: Plainly know my heart’s dear love is set

On the fair daughter of rich Capulet.
We met, we woo’d, we vowed, and this I pray
That thou consent to marry us today.

Page 11
Sister Lauren: What of Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear?
But come, young waverer, come, go with me,

(showing he thinks this might bring peace to the families, happily)

This alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.

(The Sisters and Romeo freeze. The Nurses and Juliet enter)

Juliet: O honey nurses, what news?

Hast thou met with Romeo? Why look’st thou sad?

Nurse Freya: (Sitting painfully) I am a-weary, give me leave awhile; —

Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I had!

Juliet: Is thy news good or bad? What says he of our marriage?

Nurse Sawdah: Lord, how my head aches, and my back!

Juliet: I’m sorry thou art not well, but what says my love?

Nurse Jemima: Hie you hence to Friar Laurence’s cell;

There stays a husband to make you a wife!

Juliet: Hie to good fortune! Honest nurse, farewell.

(Juliet and the nurse go over to Romeo and the Friar blesses them… they are
now married!)

SONG LED BY THE GIRLS WITH BACKGROUND BEATS BY THE BOYS! There
Must Be An Angel, Annie Lennox – big solo for Sister Lauren

Scene 6.
(A street. Enter Benvolio (looking around nervously) and Mercutio. Then
Romeo)

Mercutio: Signior Romeo, bon jour! You gave us the slip fairly last night.

Romeo: Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great.

Mercutio: (sarcastically) Why, now thou art Romeo, not a natural possess’d by
drivelling love.

Benvolio: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,

And if we meet, we shall not ‘scape a brawl.

Mercutio: Come, thou art as hot in thy mood as any in Italy.

(Enter Tybalt and Servants.)

Benvolio: By my head, here come the Capulets.

Page 12
 We talk in public: let’s withdraw to some private place; here all eyes
gaze on us.

Mercutio: Let them; I’ll not budge for no man’s pleasure.

Tybalt: Well, peace be with you, sir; here is my man (pointing at Romeo).

Sampson: Romeo, thou art a villain.

Draw if you be men!

Romeo: (Smiling) Tybalt, the reason I have to love thee

Excuses thy rage. Farewell.

Tybalt: This excuses not the injuries you did me. Draw!

Romeo: I never injured thee, dear Capulet —

A name I tender as dearly as mine own.

Mercutio: (Angry with Romeo for being a coward) O calm, dishonourable, vile
submission! (Drawing)
Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?

Tybalt: I am for you. (Drawing)

Romeo: Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Mercutio: Come, sir!

(They fight.)

Romeo: Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!

(Romeo comes between them and grabs Mercutio. Tybalt thrusts at Mercutio
under Romeo’s arm.)

Mercutio: Fetch a surgeon.

Romeo: Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much.

Mercutio: ‘Tis enough. Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under
your arm! Help me, Benvolio, or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses!
(Benvolio and others help him off.)

Romeo: Mercutio’s soul is but a little way above us:

Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him!
(They fight; Tybalt falls dead.)

Benvolio: The prince will doom thee for death: be gone!

(Romeo runs off. Enter Prince, Lord Montague, Lord Capulet and their Wives.)

Benvolio: O noble prince, I can discover all:

There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

Page 13
 Romeo spoke fair and calm to Tybalt,
But Tybalt, deaf to peace, tilts at Mercutio.
Betwixt them rushes Romeo, beneath whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hits Mercutio.
Tybalt fled, but comes back to Romeo.
Tybalt was slain, then Romeo turned and fled.

Lady Capulet: Tybalt, my brother’s child! As thou art true,

Prince, for our blood shed blood of Montague!

Prince: Tybalt slew Mercutio; Romeo slew Tybalt:

For that offence I exile him immediately!
Else, when he’s found, that hour is his last.
Bear hence this body.
(Exit.)

Romeo Rappers:
Gabriel:
We told you so
A fight was had
With two men dead
It’s pretty bad

Jude:
Rom-e-o killed
Tybalt, yo!
And caused the death
Of Mercutio

Jerry:
Rom-e-o
Has to go
Away from town
Now you know!

Danny:
He’ll never see
His brand new wife
Unless he wants
To lose his life!

Arnold & Luc:

Whaaaatttttt strife!

Scene 7.
(Juliet looks happy but her nurse comes in crying)

Juliet: Come, gentle, black-brow’d night, that Romeo

Shall leap to my arms, untalked-of and unseen.
Here come my nurses, to bring news of him.

Page 14
Nurse Freya: He’s dead! he’s gone, he’s killed!
Whoever would have thought it? Romeo!

Juliet: Why dost thou torment me thus? Is Romeo dead?

Nurse Sawdah: I saw the wound! I saw it with mine eyes!

O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best cousin you had!

Juliet: Is Romeo slaughter’d, and is Tybalt dead?

Nurse Jemima: Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished.

Juliet: O God! Did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood?

Nurse Freya: Ay, there’s no trust, no faith, no honesty

In men; shame come to Romeo!
(Juliet shakes her head at the nurse and the nurse stops being so angry)
Hark ye, Romeo is hid at Lauren’s chapel.
I’ll to her; she will be here tonight.

(Exit.)

Scene 8.
(Sister Lauren’s chapel. Romeo enters.)
Sister Lauren: I bring thee tidings of the prince’s doom:
Here from Verona art thou banished:

Romeo: Ha, banishment! be merciful, say ‘death’,

For exile hath more terror in his look.

Sister Josephine: O rude unthankfulness: the prince hath turned

Death to banishment: this is mercy.

Romeo: ‘Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here,

Where Juliet lives (weeping)

Nurse Freya: Where is my lady’s lord? Where’s Romeo?

Sister Lauren: There on the ground, with his own tears made drunk .

(Enter Nurses and look at Romeo, who is crying)

Romeo: (Rising) How is it with her?

Nurse Jemima: O sir, she falls on her bed and Tybalt calls,
Then on Romeo cries and down falls again.

Sister Lauren: What? Rouse thee, man! Thy Juliet is alive;

The law, that threaten’d death, turns it to exile:
A pack of blessings lights upon thy back!

Page 15
 Go to your exile, man, go to Mantua.
We’ll beg pardon for thee and call thee back.

Nurse Sawdah: Hie you, make haste; it grows very late. (Exit.)

Sister Lauren: Hide and wait in Mantua; farewell, good night.

(Exit.)

Scene 9.
(Enter Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet and Juliet, weeping in a corner.)

Lord Capulet: Let’s tell Juliet tonight of Paris’ love,

And tell her, o’Thursday she shall marry him!

(Juliet weeps in the corner.)

Lady Capulet: You should not weep so much for Tybalt’s death.
But now I’ll tell thee joyful tidings, girl:
Next Thursday morn, at St Peter’s Church,
The County Paris shall make thee his bride.

Juliet: I wonder at his haste; I cannot marry yet.

Lord Capulet: How? You will none?

Do you not thank us for finding a bridegroom?

Juliet: (Kneeling) Good father, I beseech you on my knees —

Lord Capulet: I’ll tell thee what, — get thee to church o’Thursday
Or never after look me in the face! (Exit.)

Juliet: Mother, delay this marriage for a month, a week!

Lady Capulet: Talk not to me, for I have done with thee. (Exit.)

(Enter Sister Lauren with a bottle. She sniffs at it gingerly, shakes her head and
hurriedly stoppers it. Juliet hurries in.)

Juliet: O Sister Lauren, come weep with me,

For I am past hope, past cure, past help.

Sister Lauren: I already know thy griefs. I hear thou must

On Thursday next marry Count Paris.
Go home and give consent to marry Paris.
Tomorrow night, in bed, take thou this vial
And drink it off. Soon each part of thy body
Shall stiff and stark, and cold, appear, like death,
And in this likeness of death thou shalt continue
Two-and-forty hours. When thou art found dead,
Thou shalt be taken to the vault of the Capulets.

Page 16
 Romeo shall by my letters know our drift
And come to watch thee wake. Then shall he bear
Thee hence to Mantua. Thus shall this vial
Free thee from this present shame.

Juliet: Give it me! (Taking it)

Sister Lauren: Get thee gone: I’ll send Sister Josephine with speed
To Mantua, with my letters to Romeo.

(Exit.)

Scene 10.

Juliet: Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.

What if this mixture do not work at all,
Or if it be a poison, to have me dead?
Or if I wake, before Romeo come,
In the same vault where bloody Tybalt lies?
Romeo, I come! This do I drink to thee!

(She falls upon her bed. Lights dim to blackout, then come up again. Knocking
at the door.)

Nurse Frya: (Off) Mistress! Juliet!

(Enter Nurses and bustle about.)
Nurse Sawdah: Fie, you slug-a-bed! Madam, sweetheart, bride!
What, not a word? I needs must wake her.
What, dressed, and in your clothes? Lady! lady! lady!
Nurse Jemima:
Alas, alas! Help! help! my lady’s dead!
My lord! my lady!

(Enter Lady Capulet.)

Lady Capulet: What’s the matter?

Nurses: Look, look! O, heavy day!

Lady Capulet: O me! O me! My child, my only life!

(Enter Capulet.) Alack the day, she’s dead!

Lord Capulet: Ha! let me see her: out, alas, she’s cold:
Her blood is settled and her joints are stiff.
(Enter Sister Lauren and Balthasar who overhears everything and is shocked!)
Sister Lauren: Come, is the bride ready to go to church?

Lord Capulet: Ready to go, but never to return.

Death is my son-in-law; death is my heir.

Lady Capulet: Accurst, unhappy, wretched, hateful day!

Page 17
Nurse: Never was seen such a day as this!
(They carry Juliet onto her death bed/alter)

Romeo Rappers:

Gabriel:
Did I get this right?
Juliet has died?

Jude:
No no, son,
She’s asleep, she lied!

Danny:
She took some poison
Like she was dead
But she’s just asleep
In her death bed!

Jerry:
The friar’s note
Is on its way
To Romeo
With this to say:

Arnold:
Come to the tomb
To find your wife
She’ll escape with you
To a different life.

Luc:
She had to play
This awful trick
Or be married to
Paris quick!

Gabriel:
The letter’s on its way… tick tick tick…!
But Balthasar
With no time to lose
Gets their first
With the wrong news!
(We see the Sister Lauren pass a letter to a Sister Josephine who gets
overtaken by Balthasar. After scene 11, Sister Josephine rushes onto the stage
but Romeo has gone… she just missed him.)

Scene 11
(Enter Romeo.)
(Enter Balthasar, his man.)

Page 18
Romeo: News from Verona! Dost thou not bring letters
From the friar? How doth my lady Juliet?
Balthasar: Her body sleeps in the Capulet tomb,
And her immortal part with angels lives.
O, pardon me for bringing these ill news.

Romeo: Thou art deceived! Hast thou no letters

From the friar?

Balthasar: No, my good lord.

(Romeo cries out in horror)

(enter apothecaries selling potions and poisons)

Apothecary Myron: (Entering) We are apothecaries, sellers of medicines,

potions and poisons…Who calls so loud?

Romeo: Come hither, men. I see that thou art poor:

Hold, here is forty ducats; let me have
A poison that the taker may fall dead.

Apothecary Joey: Mantua’s law is death to any who sells them.

Romeo: The world affords no law to make thee rich:

Then be not poor, but break it, and take this.
Hold, here is forty ducats; let me have
A poison that the taker may fall dead.

Apothecary Joey: (Producing a vial) Put this in any liquid that you will,
And drink it off, and ‘twill dispatch you straight.

Romeo: There is thy gold; farewell, buy food. I go

To Juliet’s grave, where I must use thee.
(Exit.) (Sister Josephine rushes onto the stage but Romeo has gone… she just
missed him.)
Scene 12.
(Friar Laurence’s cell. Enter Sister Josephine.)

Sister Josephine: Sister Lauren! What ho!

Sister Lauren: Did you bear my letter to Romeo?

Sister Josephine: I could not send it: here it is again.

Sister Lauren: Unhappy fortune! The neglecting of it

May do much danger
(Exit.)

Romeo Rappers:
Gabriel
Oh no, oh no,

Page 19
 Romeo thinks
Juliet is dead
This stinks!

Arnold:
He’s gone and bought
Poison strong
He’ll kill himself
It’s all gone wrong!

Scene 13.
(The Capulets’ tomb. Juliet is lying in the tomb. Paris is there with flowers.
Enter Romeo and Balthasar with a lantern.)

Romeo: I descend into this tomb to behold

My lady’s face. Early in the morning
Deliver this to my father. (Giving him a letter) Now be gone.

Balthasar: I will sir. (exit)

(Romeo moves towards the tomb.)

Paris: This is that Romeo who murder’d my love’s cousin.

Stop, vile Montague, I do apprehend thee!

(They fight and Romeo kills Paris.)

Paris: O, I am slain! (Collapsing dead near the tomb.)

Romeo: Juliet, why art thou yet so fair? I’ll stay with thee;
Arms, take thy last embrace; lips, seal with a kiss (blows a kiss)
A bargain with death. Here’s to my love. (Drinks)
O, true apothecary: thus with a kiss I die. (Dies.)

Juliet: (Waking) Where is Romeo?

What’s here? a vial: poison hath been his end.
(Snatching Romeo’s dagger) O happy dagger: here is thy sheath.
(She stabs herself and falls. Enter Abraham and watchman 1.)

Abraham: This is the place; there, where the lantern burns.

Watchman 1: Pitiful sight! Here lies the county slain,

And Juliet, bleeding, warm and newly dead. Go,
Tell the prince, the Capulets and Montagues.
(Enter Sister Lauren.)

Abraham: Here is a friar that trembles, sighs and weeps.

Watchman 1: Hold him in safety till the prince come hither.

(Enter the Prince.)

Prince Escalus: What misadventure calls us from our rest?

Page 20
(Enter Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet and others still alive!)

Lady Capulet: The people all cry ‘Romeo’ and ‘Juliet’ and ‘Paris’,
And run towards our monument.

Gregory: Sovereign, here lies the Count Paris slain.

And Romeo dead, and Juliet dead before.

Lord Capulet: O wife, look how our daughter bleeds,

This dagger of a Montague in her chest.

(Enter Lord Montague and others.)

Lord Montague: (Looking at Romeo) O, thou untaught! What manners is in this
To press before a father to a grave?

Sister Lauren:
Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet;
I married them on Tybalt’s dooms-day,
Whose death banished the bridegroom from the city,
For who, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pined.
When you would marry her to County Paris,
She bid me devise some means to rid her
Of this marriage. I gave her a sleeping potion
And writ Romeo to come take her when she woke;
But he my letter by mischance did ne’er receive.
And when I came tonight, meaning to keep her
In my cell till I could send to Romeo,
I found the noble Paris and Romeo dead.
But she, desperate, would not go with me,
And, as it seems, did violence to herself.

Romeo Rappers: (now speaking to those on stage)

ALL TOGETHER RAPPERS:

These two loved
And now they’re lost
You families fight
But at what cost?

Was it worth
The constant grief
There should’ve been peace
That’s our belief

Learn the lesson

And learn it good
Now they’re dead
Have you understood?

Have you understood?

Page 21
Down with the Montagues and down with the Capulets!

Prince: Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague,

See what a scourge is laid upon your hate;
And I, for winking at your discords too,
Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punished.

Lord Capulet: O brother Montague, give me thy hand.

Lord Montague: I’ll raise thy daughter’s statue in pure gold;

There shall no figure at such rate be set
As that of true and faithful Juliet.

Prince: And never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

(A bell tolls.)
Possible song: War, what is it good for? By Edwin Starr and then moving into
War is over or All we need is love or Give Peace A chance

Page 22