Exploring Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet - Act 2 Scene 2

Watch as Romeo (Rupert Evans) surprises Juliet (Morven Christie) at her window.

Director interview (Nancy Meckler)

Find out what inspired Nancy's use of rituals and the play-within-a-play staging for Romeo and Juliet.

Performance photo gallery

Feuding Sicilian villagers hold a ceasefire to perform Romeo and Juliet - explore Nancy Meckler's 2006 production.

Rehearsal photo gallery

Join the Romeo and Juliet company behind the scenes at a warm-up and workshops on improvisation and mask-work.

Teachers' notes [PDF 370K]

Activities for teaching Romeo and Juliet, based on RSC rehearsal room practice. (You need PDF reader software.)

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Draw, if you be men.

In this production, the fighting between the Capulets and Montagues is performed as a dance with long sticks.

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Put up your swords. You know not what you do.

A 'dance fight'

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!

Capulet (Nicholas Day) and Lady Capulet (Caroline Wildi).

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.

Montague (Patrick Romer) and Lady Montague (Eliza Hunt).

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.

Juliet (Morven Christie) and Nurse (Sorcha Cusack).

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Capulet's ball

The Capulets' ball

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Capulet's ball

Juliet (Morven Christie) at the masked ball.

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) and Juliet (Morven Christie) meet at the masked ball.

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Move not while my prayer's effect I take.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) and Juliet (Morven Christie) embrace at the masked ball.

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!

Romeo (Rupert Evans) speaks to Juliet (Morven Christie) at her window.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 2
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my counsel?

Romeo (Rupert Evans) climbs up the tower to speak to Juliet (Morven Christie).

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 2
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) leaves Juliet (Morven Christie) at her window.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 2
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) talks to Friar Laurence (David Fielder).

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Signor Romeo, bon jour… You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) and Mercutio (Jamie Ballard).

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 4
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news.

Juliet (Morven Christie) is impatient with her Nurse (Sorcha Cusack) who delays telling her Romeo's plans.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what says my love?

Juliet (Morven Christie) becomes so frustrated with her Nurse (Sorcha Cusack) that she rushes at her with a chair.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Here comes the lady. O, so light a foot will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) and Juliet (Morven Christie) embrace in the chapel.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 6
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

For, by your leaves, you shall not stay along till Holy Church incorporate two in one.

Friar Laurence (David Fielder) marries Romeo (Rupert Evans) and Juliet (Morven Christie).

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 6
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

A fight erupts

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05
Copyright: © RSC 2006

A plague a'both houses!

Mercutio (Jamie Ballard), fatally injured, is supported by Balthasar (John Heffernan).

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) avenges Mercutio's death by killing Tybalt (Adam Rayner).

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

O, I am fortune's fool!

Romeo (Rupert Evans), held by Benvolio (Geoffrey Lumb) can't believe he has killed Tybalt (Adam Rayner).

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!

Lady Capulet (Caroline Wildi) mourns Tybalt (Adam Rayner), watched by Capulet (Nicholas Day) and Nurse (Sorcha Cusack).

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

In what vile part of this anatomy doth my name lodge?

Friar Laurence (David Fielder) tells Romeo (Rupert Evans) that he has been exiled.

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

Happily met, my lady and my wife!

Juliet (Morven Christie) appears as Paris (Simon Bubb) visits Friar Laurence (David Fielder).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

How sound she is asleep! I needs must wake her.

Nurse (Sorcha Cusack) finds Juliet (Morven Christie) 'dead' in her bed.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 5
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.

Romeo (Rupert Evans) finds Juliet (Morven Christie) in her tomb and assumes she is dead.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

Here I stand, both to impeach and purge myself condemned and myself excused.

Friar Laurence explains what has happened as both families gather to mourn Romeo and Juliet.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

I will raise her statue in pure gold.

The end of the production. The Capulets and Montagues are united in their grief and vow to end their feud.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

At the end of Meckler's production, the families are united.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Ellie Kurttz
Date: 2006-04-05

Romeo and Juliet - Act 2 Scene 2

Director interview (Nancy Meckler)

Performance photo gallery

Rehearsal photo gallery

Teachers' notes [PDF 370K]

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