Download Elizabethan Theatre - Collège Jean Monnet

♥♥ Romeo
+ Juliet ♥♥
Biography of William Shakespeare :
William Shakespeare was probably one of the best playwrights ever. Shakespeare was a playwright, an
actor and a poet. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 in the 16th century. He married Anne
Hathaway when he was 18 years old. They had three 3 children : Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. He lived
25 years in London where he wrote his plays. William wrote different types of plays : History plays
(about the lives of kings) ; Comedies (which end with a marriage) and Tragedies (which end with the
death of the main character). Romeo & Juliet was written by Shakespeare. He died in Stratford-uponAvon in 1616 in the 17th century.
Elizabethan Theatre :
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was a round open air theatre. The thatched roof protected the actors on
the stage but not the spectators in the pit. Poor people stood in the pit where as Rich lords and ladies
sat in the galleries or at the balcony. Plays were nonstop. In Elizabethan times, theatre tickets were
cheap. The Globe Theatre could hold an audience of more than 2000. In those days, female roles were
played by young boys dressed up as women. The Elizabethan Theatre burnt down in 1613.
Story of Romeo and Juliet :
Romeo and Juliet tells the story of an impossible love story. Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a
Capulet. These two families are deadly enemies. When Romeo and Juliet meet at a party, its love at
first sight. After the party, Juliet declares her love to Romeo. Romeo hears and he declares his love to
her too. Friar Lawrence marries them secretly. Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin because Tybalt killed
his best friend, Mercutio. Romeo is banished from Verona by the Prince of Verona. The following day,
Lord Capulet decides that Juliet should marry Count Paris. But Juliet can’t marry a second time. Juliet
drinks a sleeping potion. Everybody thinks she’s dead. But Romeo hears the news, buys a poison and
goes to Verona to die next to Juliet. But when Romeo drinks the poison Juliet wakes up, it’s too late
she sees that Romeo is dead. Juliet takes a gun and kills herself.
The specificities of the adaptation :
Romeo + Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann is a modern version of the play. People fight with guns
instead of swords. I think that the film was shot in Mexico. Swords are replaced by guns because it’s a
modern version of Romeo & Juliet. The female roles are played by women. The movie stars are
Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles.
My appreciation of the film :
It’s a not great film and there are boring sections. I would give 6/10. The music is great. I think that
the acting is good. I don’t like the modern version of Romeo and Juliet. I think that the film is very slow
and there are not enough action scenes. I do like the settings but the costumes are not beautiful. I
recommend Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet to sentimental movie-goers, it’s a romantic movie. So I don’t
recommend this film to people who like action films.