Student Script for Primary Schools. Romeo & Juliet. William Shakespeare

Transcription

1 Student Script for Primary Schools Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare Abridged for the Shakespeare Schools Festival by Martin Lamb 30 minute version Shakespeare Schools Festival (SSF) We are such stuff as dreams are made on. Copyright of the abridged scripts rest with Shakespeare Schools Festival charity. Your registration fee only allows you to perform the abridgement during the current Festival. You may not share the script with other schools, or download all the scripts for personal use. A public performance of the SSF abridged script must be premiered at the professional SSF theatre. 1

2 LIST OF ROLES The Prince Paris Old Montague Old Capulet Romeo Mercutio Benvolio Tybalt Juliet PRINCE ESCALUS OF VERONA A YOUNG COUNT HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF MONTAGUE HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF CAPULET MONTAGUE S SON KINSMAN TO THE PRINCE, FRIEND TO NEPHEW TO MONTAGUE, FRIEND TO NEPHEW TO LADY CAPULET DAUGHTER TO CAPULET Nurse to Juliet Lady Montague Lady Capulet Friar Lawrence Friar John Balthasar WIFE TO MONTAGUE WIFE TO CAPULET OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER, FRIEND TO OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER SERVANT TO Servants to Capulet Searchers 1 Watchman 1 Watchman 2 Watchman 3 1 Responsible for boarding up houses where the plague is suspected 2

3 SEQUENCE 1 NARRATOR(S) 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. BENVOLIO Part, fools! Put up your swords: you know not what you do. ENTER (a Capulet) What, art thou drawn amongst these heartless hinds? 2 Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death. BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. What, drawn 3 and talk of peace? I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward. ENTER OLD CAPULET and his wife, LADY CAPULET ENTER OLD MONTAGUE and his wife, LADY MONTAGUE opposite ENTER THE PRINCE and his attendants, including MERCUTIO PRINCE What ho, you men, you beasts! Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground. Three civil brawls bred of an airy word, 4 By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets. If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. On pain of death, all men depart. The two families split up and exit. EXIT THE PRINCE and ATTENDANTS. Only OLD MONTAGUE and OLD CAPULET and their wives are left on stage. 2 Benvolio is interfering in a brawl between mere servants, Tybalt wishes to point this out. 3 Benvolio has drawn his weapon and yet he talks about peace. 4 A small and petty remark 3

4 NARRATOR(S) Old Montague and Old Capulet are tired. All the fighting between the two families wears them down but neither knows how to stop it. EXIT OLD MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE To cheer himself Old Capulet plans a party for that night. He gives a servant a list of all the guests to invite. As OLD CAPULET and LADY CAPULET leave. Unfortunately the Servant can t read. And the first two people the Capulet servant comes across are Montagues Benvolio, and the son of Old Montague himself, young Romeo. SERVANT (seeing them) I pray, sir, can you read? Mmm a fair assembly. (to the SERVANT) Whither should they come? SERVANT SEQUENCE 2 NARRATOR(S) My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry. The Capulets have a daughter, Juliet, two weeks short of her fourteenth birthday. But, as is the custom they seek to have her married. The young man they have in mind, Count Paris, will be at the party. Juliet isn t sure if she will like him. A SERVANT enters SERVANT Madam, the guests are come, supper is served, you called, my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence to wait, I beseech you follow strait. LADY CAPULET exits. HIRED SERVANT What lady s that which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? I know not, sir. (he continues on his way) O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! 4

5 CAPULET CAPULET CAPULET (who has overheard ) This, by his voice, should be a Montague. (he seeks out OLD CAPULET) Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe Young Romeo is it? Tis he, that villain Romeo. Content thee, gentle coz 5, let him alone. I ll not endure him. He shall be endured. Am I the master here, or you? Go to! NARRATORS(S) NURSE First sight is enough. In a moment, they both recognise the same feeling. He kisses her hand You kiss by th book. Madam, your mother craves a word with you. EXIT to look for her mother NURSE BENVOLIO CAPULET What is her mother? Her mother is the lady of the house. A Capulet? Away, be gone. Ay. They leave and the party breaks up. I thank you, honest gentlemen, goodnight. ENTER and NURSE NURSE Nurse, what is yond gentleman? His name is Romeo. The only son of your great enemy. My only love sprung from my only hate! 5 Cousin 5

6 LADY CAPULET NURSE (from off-stage) Juliet! Come, let s away, the strangers are all gone. EXIT all SEQUENCE 3 NARRATORS So there it is. Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love. With each other. Romeo now has three enemies Juliet s family of course But now, his own family, And time. He must act quickly. That night he climbs over the Capulet family s garden wall to try to find Juliet s room. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun! appears at her balcony. She does not see Romeo. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? 6 O, be some other name. What s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself. (emerging from his hiding place) I take thee at thy word. Henceforth I never will be Romeo. I know thy sound Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague? Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike. If any of my kinsmen find thee here, they will murder thee. My life were better ended by their hate Than death prorogued 7, wanting of thy love. 6 Wherefore in this context means why. She is asking why the man she loves must be Romeo, a Montague. 7 postponed 6

7 NURSE (from off-stage) Juliet! exits O blessed, blessed night. I am afeard Being in night, all this is but a dream. returns. Dear Romeo, If that thy bent of love be honourable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow. By the hour of nine. I will not fail. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow That I shall say good night till it be tomorrow. She exits. Hence will I to Friar Lawrence s close cell, His help to crave and my dear hap 8 to tell. SEQUENCE 4 NARRATOR(S) Romeo is in luck; Friar Lawrence is the one person in Verona who thinks a marriage between Romeo and Juliet may put an end to the war between the Montagues and the Capulets. Juliet s Nurse is told that they can be married that afternoon. Romeo is still a Montague, but he is also now a Capulet something only four people knew. It is a situation new to Romeo, as he discovers on his way home through the streets that evening There, Romeo s friend Mercutio, from the Prince s court, is walking with Romeo s other friend, Benvolio, Suddenly the fiery Capulet, Tybalt, approaches. ENTER, with others, BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO in discussion. And then with others. BENVOLIO MERCUTIO MERCUTIO By my head, here come the Capulets. By my heel, I care not. Gentlemen, good e en: a word with one of you. And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; 8 fortune 7

8 make it a word and a blow. BENVOLIO You shall find me apt enough to that, sir. All eyes gaze on us. ENTER MERCUTIO MERCUTIO Well, here comes my man. But I ll be hanged sir, if he wear your livery. Romeo! The love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain. Tybalt, villain am I none. Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me. draws his sword I love thee better than thou canst devise. (thinking Romeo is a coward) O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! (He draws his sword) Tybalt! I am for you. They fight. Hold Tybalt! Good Mercutio BENVOLIO MERCUTIO MERCUTIO What, art thou hurt? (to ) Why the dev l came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. I thought all for the best. Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. A plague o both your houses! A plague o both your houses! BENVOLIO helps him off. My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt In my behalf - 8

9 BENVOLIO Enter BENVOLIO O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead. Enter with sword drawn. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again! Again, in triumph, and Mercutio slain? Thou, wretched boy, shalt with him hence. (drawing his sword) This shall determine that. They FIGHT and is killed. BENVOLIO NARRATORS Romeo, away, be gone! Why dost thou stay? O, I am fortune s fool. He runs away. Romeo has killed Tybalt, but Tybalt has killed Mercutio, the Prince s man. What will the Prince s verdict be? THE PRINCE enters PRINCE NARRATORS Exile! Let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he is found, that hour is his last. The Nurse tells Juliet all that has happened and Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that he is to be banished from Verona. But, between them, they arrange for Romeo and Juliet to spend their wedding night together. ENTER OLD CAPULET, LADY CAPULET and COUNT Juliet s parents, though, have other plans for their daughter, thinking, of course, she is still unmarried. OLD CAPULET OLD CAPULET Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child s love: Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed Acquaint her here of my son Paris love But soft, what day is this? Monday, my lord. A Thursday let it be a Thursday, tell her, She shall be married to this noble earl. Will you be ready? Do you like this haste? 9

10 OLD CAPULET NARRATORS My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow. (to his wife) Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed. Prepare her, wife, against this wedding day. Farewell, my lord. A Thursday be it then. THEY EXIT But this wedding night Juliet is with her Romeo and neither wants it to end. ENTER and Wilt thou be gone? Yond light is not daylight, I know it, I. Thou need st not be gone. I have more care to stay than will to go. Let s talk. It is not day. It is, it is. O, now be gone, more light and light it grows. More light and light: more dark and dark our woes. ENTER NURSE NURSE Madam! Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. She exits. Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I ll descend. They kiss O, think st thou we shall ever meet again? I doubt it not. He exits. ENTER LADY CAPULET NARRATOR LADY CAPULET So, as Romeo makes his way to exile twenty miles away in Mantua, Juliet learns what her parents want her to do. Her response is clear. I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet. (shocked) Here comes your father, tell him so yourself. ENTER OLD CAPULET 10

11 CAPULET NARRATOR NURSE NARRATOR I tell thee what: get thee to church a Thursday, Or never after look me in the face. Speak not, reply not, do not answer me! He exits and his wife follows him. Only Nurse is left to offer her comfort. I think it best you married with Count Paris. O, he s a lovely gentleman! Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much. I ll to Friar Lawrence to know his remedy; If all else fail, myself have power to die. Exits Juliet rushes to see Friar Lawrence. COUNT and FRIAR LAWRENCE enter. Count Paris has also been to see him about Thursday s wedding. Happily met, my lady and my wife. That may be, sir, when I may be a wife. That may be, must be, love, on Thursday next. What must be, shall be. 9 FRIAR LAWRENCE FRIAR LAWRENCE NARRATORS Well, that s a certain text. Come you to make confession to this father? To answer that, I should confess to you. Do not deny to him that you love me. I will confess to you that I love him. My lord, we must entreat the time alone. Adieu. He leaves. Oh, come weep with me, past hope, past cure, past help! Juliet confesses to Friar Lawrence - that she is in utter despair, that she would rather throw herself from a rooftop or be chained up with wild bears than live without Romeo. Father Lawrence has a solution. 9 A well-known saying. 11

12 The night before the wedding, she is to drink the potion he gives her. This will make her appear to be dead just long enough for her to be placed in the family tomb and for him to write to Romeo. When she wakes Romeo will be there and will take her off to Mantua. Juliet returns home in a happier mood. is met by OLD CAPULET, LADY CAPULET and NURSE OLD CAPULET OLD CAPULET LADY CAPULET NARRATORS NURSE How now my headstrong! Where have you been gadding? Where I have learnt me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition And beg your Pardon, I beseech you. Send for Count Paris, go tell him of this. I ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning. Go, Nurse, go with her. We ll to church tomorrow. (realising that she must take the Friar s medicine that night) So please you, let me now be left alone, And let the nurse this night sit up with you; For, I am sure, you have your hands full In this so sudden business. Good night. Get thee to bed, and rest, for thou hast need. OLD CAPULET, LADY CAPULET and NURSE leave. What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married then tomorrow morning? No, no. Romeo, I come! This do I drink to thee. She drinks and collapses as if dead. The Capulets work all night on the preparations for the wedding and, in the morning, the Nurse is sent to wake Juliet. ENTER NURSE Mistress! Mistress! Juliet! Why, you slug-a-bed! How sound she is asleep! I must needs wake you. Lady! Lady! Lady! Alas, alas! Help, help! My lady s dead! ENTER OLD CAPULET & LADY CAPULET 12

13 LADY CAPULET OLD CAPULET Dead? Ha! Let me see her. Out alas. She s cold. ENTER FRIAR LAWRENCE, and others. FRIAR LAWRENCE CAPULET Come, is the bride ready to go to church? Ready to go, but never to return. SEQUENCE 5 NARRATORS Even though the marriage has been brought forward the Friar believes his plan will still work Romeo will know that Juliet isn t really dead from the letter he s sent him. And he can look after Juliet until Romeo has time to get back from Mantua. What Friar Lawrence doesn t know, was that his messenger, Friar John, hasn t delivered the letter to Romeo because he s been shut up in a house suspected of the plague. FRIAR JOHN SEARCHER NARRATOR(S) But I must bear this letter to Mantua! What?! And post them the plague?! So Romeo never learns about Juliet pretending to be dead. He hears instead that Juliet is dead. His servant, Balthasar, has ridden to Mantua to tell him the bad news. ENTER and BALTHASAR BALTHASAR BALTHAZAR News from Verona! How, now Balthasar, Doth thou not bring me letters from the Friar? How doth my Juliet? O pardon me for bringing these ill news. Her body sleeps in Capels monument, And her immortal part with angels lives. Is it e en so? Then I defy you, stars! I will hence tonight. Hast thou no letters for me from the Friar? No my good lord. No matter. Get thee gone. Hire post horses. I ll be with thee straight. EXIT BALTHASAR 13

14 NARRATORS Romeo has one thing left to do. He seeks out a poor apothecary and, though it is against the law, persuades him to sell him some poison To Romeo it isn t poison. It is medicine. Come cordial, and not poison, go with me To Juliet s grave, for there must I use thee. EXIT SEQUENCE 6 NARRATORS When Friar John is released from the plague-house he finds Friar Lawrence. FRIAR LAWRENCE The letter was not nice 10 but full of charge 11, And the neglecting of it may do much danger. Friar John, go hence. Get me an iron crow and bring it straight Unto my cell. FRIAR JOHN hurries off. Now must I to the monument alone. Within this three hours will fair Juliet awake. I will write again to Mantua, And keep her at my cell till Romeo come. Poor living corse, closed in a dead man s tomb. EXIT FRIAR LAWRENCE SEQUENCE 7 The Capulet Vault. NARRATOR The vault in the graveyard where all the Capulets who had died were laid to rest is a dark and scary space and kept locked. But today many people are drawn to it. First, is Count Paris. ENTER and his PAGE. Whistle to me boy. As signal that thou hear st something approach. Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee, go. THE PAGE scurries off to act as look-out. enters the vault. 10 trivial 11 important 14

15 Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew. There is a whistle from THE PAGE. The boy gives warning, something doth approach. ENTER and BALTHASAR BALTHASAR Give me the wrenching iron. Hold, take this letter. See thou deliver it to my lord and father. Give me the light. Now, hence, be gone. I will be gone, sir. This is that banished haughty Montague That murdered my love s cousin And here is come to do some villainous shame To the dead bodies. (arresting ) Obey, and go with me, for thou must die. I must indeed. PAGE I apprehend thee for a felon here. Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee boy! They fight. O Lord, they fight! I will go call the Watch. EXIT PAGE. slays. O, I am slain! If thou be merciful Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet. dies. In faith I will. Let me peruse this face. Mercutio s kinsman, noble Count Paris! O, give me thy hand. Death lie thou there. Ah, dear Juliet, here I still will stay with thee. Here s to my love (he drinks) O true apothecary, Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. He dies. FRIAR LAWRENCE enters the graveyard, FRIAR LAWRENCE Saint Francis be my speed. BALTHASAR steps out of the shadows. Who s there? 15

16 BALTHASAR FRIAR LAWRENCE BALTHASAR FRIAR LAWRENCE BALTHASAR FRIAR LAWRENCE PAGE FRIAR LAWRENCE WATCHMAN A friend. Tell me, good my friend, What torch is yond? (pointing into the vault) There s my master, one that you love. Who is it? Romeo. Romeo! Romeo! O, pale. Who else? What, Paris too? And steeped in blood? The lady stirs wakes and sits up. O comfortable friar! Where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, And there I am. Where is my Romeo? (off-stage) This way, sirs. I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest Of Death. Come, come away. Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead Stay not to question, for the watch is coming. Go, get thee hence, for I will not away. FRIAR LAWRENCE rushes away. What s here? A cup, closed in my true love s hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them. (she kisses him) Thy lips are warm. (off-stage) Lead, boy: which way? Yea, noise? Then I ll be brief. O happy dagger! This is thy sheath. (she stabs herself) There rust, and let me die. She falls on Romeo s body and dies. ENTER PAGE and WATCHMAN with others. PAGE This is the place, sir, (pointing to the tomb) THE WATCHMAN enters and takes in the scene. 16

17 WATCHMAN 1 WATCHMAN 2 WATCHMAN 1 WATCHMAN 3 WATCHMAN 1 Go tell the Prince. Run to the Capulets. Raise up the Montagues. Some others search. ENTER MORE WATCHMEN with BALTHASAR Here s Romeo s man. We found him in the churchyard. Hold him in safety till the Prince come hither. ENTER OTHER WATCHMEN with FRIAR LAWRENCE Here is a friar that trembles, sighs and weeps. We took him coming from this churchyard s side. A great suspicion. Stay the friar too. ENTER THE PRINCE, OLD CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, MONTAGUE and servants attending all. They reach the bodies PRINCE NARRATOR PRINCE CAPULET MONTAGUE (pointing to the FRIAR) Say at once what thou dost know in this. Where s Romeo s man? What can he say to this? FRIAR LAWRENCE and BALTHASAR come forward and turn upstage as if to address everyone else on stage. And so Friar Lawrence and Balthasar explain what they know and what you have seen. And Old Montague reports how his wife has suffered a heart attack on hearing of her son Romeo s death. THE PAGE comes forward to speak to the crowd and BALTHASAR gives Romeo s letter to the PRINCE Paris s page tells of his master s presence in the tomb and the Prince reads Romeo s letter to his father. This letter doth make good the Friar s word. Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. All are punished. O brother, Montague, give me thy hand. They shake hands This is my daughter s jointure, for no more Can I demand. But I can give thee more For I will raise her statue in pure gold That whiles Verona by that name is known There shall no figure at such rate be set As that of true and faithful Juliet Montague will build a statue in Juliet s honour that will not be rivalled. 17

18 CAPULET PRINCE As rich shall Romeo s by his lady s lie, Poor sacrifices of our enmity. Go hence to have more talk of these sad things. Some shall be pardoned, and some punished. For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. THE END 18