LADY MONTAGUE Thou shall not stir one foot to seek a foe.

Romeo and Juliet The couples remain either side of the stage, the women
by holding their husbands back either by force, argument or
William Shakespeare childish with-holding of weapons. The SERVANTS,
Abridged for the Shakespeare Schools Festival BENVOLIO and TYBALT remain in combat with the
by CITIZENS, centre stage
Martin Lamb & Penelope Middelboe ENTER PRINCE ESCALUS
30 MINUTE VERSION PRINCE What ho, you men, you beasts
LIST OF ROLES Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground.
Prince Escalus PRINCE OF VERONA The stage falls still
Paris A YOUNG COUNT Three civil brawls bred of an airy word,5
Montague HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF MONTAGUE By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Capulet HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF CAPULET Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets.
Romeo MONTAGUE’S SON 1
Mercutio KINSMAN TO THE PRINCE, FRIEND TO ROMEO If ever you disturb our streets again,
Benvolio NEPHEW TO MONTAGUE, FRIEND TO ROMEO Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
Tybalt NEPHEW TO LADY CAPULET 3 Benvolio is interfering in a brawl between mere servants,
Juliet DAUGHTER TO CAPULET Tybalt wishes to point this out.
Nurse to Juliet 4 Benvolio has drawn his weapon and yet he talks about peace.
Lady Montague WIFE TO MONTAGUE 5 A small and petty remark
Lady Capulet WIFE TO CAPULET On pain of death, all men depart.
Friar Lawrence OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER, FRIEND TO ROMEO EXIT all but BENVOLIO. ENTER ROMEO
Friar John OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER BENVOLIO Good morrow, cousin.
Balthazar SERVANT TO ROMEO ROMEO Is the day so young?
Sampson & Gregory Abraham SERVANTS TO CAPULET Ay me, sad hours seem long.
An Apothecary Citizens, Revellers And Others SERVANT TO BENVOLIO What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?
MONTAGUE ROMEO Not having that which, having, makes them short.6
3 BENVOLIO In love?
PROLOGUE ROMEO Out.
CHORUS Two households both alike in dignity, In fair Verona BENVOLIO Of love?
where we lay our scene From ancient grudge, break to new ROMEO Out of her favour where I am in love.
mutiny, BENVOLIO Alas.
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean: From forth the fatal ROMEO [seeing the destruction of the fight]
loins of these two foes, A pair of star crossed lovers take their Ay me what fray was here?
life: Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, Doth with their BEVOLIO Tell me, in sadness, who is that you love?
death bury their parents’ strife. ROMEO In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
SCENE 1 BENVOLIO I aimed so near when I supposed you loved.
A street ROMEO A right good markman! And she’s fair7 I love.
ENTER SAMPSON and GREGORY of the house of BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz8
Capulet, in conversation. , is soonest hit.
GREGORY Here come two of the house of Montague. ROMEO. Well in that hit you miss; she’ll not be hit
ENTER two other servingmen, ABRAHAM and With Cupid’s arrow…
BALTHAZAR BENVOLIO [giving it up] Then be ruled by me, forget to think of
SAMPSON I will bite my thumb at them, which is disgrace to her.
them if ROMEO O, teach me how I should forget to think.
they bear it. BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes:
[He bites his thumb1] Examine other beauties
ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? 6 Not having the thing which makes them seem short.
SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir. 7 Pretty, not necessarily blonde… 8 coz – term of
ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? companionship, short for cousin.
SAMPSON [to GREGORY] Is the law of our side if I say ay? ROMEO Farewell, thou canst not teach me to forget.
GREGORY No. EXIT BENVOLIO and ROMEO
SAMPSON No sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite SCENE 2
my thumb, sir. Outside
ABRAHAM You lie. The House of
SAMPSON Draw if you be men. Capulet
They FIGHT. ENTER BENVOLIO2 CAPULET and PARIS in conversation
BENVOLIO Part, fools. Put up your swords, you know not what CAPULET …’tis not so hard I think.
you do. For men so old as we to keep the peace.
1 An insult the equivalent of or worse than ‘the middle finger’. PARIS Of honourable reckoning are you both,
Done in clear view of the Montagues. And pity ’tis you lived at odds so long.9
2 A name meaning ‘goodwill’ the opposite of Malvolio, from But now my lord what say you to my suit?
Twelfth Night. CAPULET My child is yet a stranger in the world,
ENTER TYBALT She hath not seen the change of fourteen years.
TYBALT [To BENVOLIO] What, art thou drawn amongst these PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made.
hartless hinds?3 Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death. CAPULET And too soon marred are those so early made.
BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. [taking him close – offering an alternative]
TYBALT What, drawn, Such delight among fresh female buds shall you this night
4 and talk of peace? I hate the word Inherit at my house. Come, go with me.10
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. EXIT CAPULET and PARIS
They FIGHT ENTER BENVOLIO and ROMEO in conversation
ENTER three or four CITIZENS who attempt to BREAK BENVOLIO Why Romeo, art thou mad?
UP the men ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a madman is:
ENTER old CAPULET, and LADY CAPULET Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
CAPULET What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! Whipped and tormented and - good e’en11, good fellow.
Old Montague is come! ENTER SERVANT
ENTER old MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE opposite SERVANT Good e’en. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if
MONTAGUE [Spying CAPULET] Thou villain Capulet: you
[to LADY MONTAGUE who holds him back] Hold me not, let me be not of the house of Montagues I pray come and crush a
go. cup of wine. Rest you merry.
SERVANT hands BENVOLIO an invitation. EXIT This shrine, the gentle fine14 is this:
SERVANT To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
ROMEO I’ll go along. JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
9 Paris wishes to marry Juliet, there is a certain amount of Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
‘sucking up’ to Capulet here. For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
10 Capulet suggests Paris attend the party tonight and examine And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
other beauties to see if he can’t find ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
someone he prefers to Juliet. 11 E’en - afternoon JULIET Ay, lips that they must use in prayer.
EXIT ROMEO and BENVOLIO ROMEO O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do!
SCENE 3 They pray.
Capulet’s House THEY KISS
ENTER LADY CAPULET and NURSE JULIET You kiss by the book.
NURSE Juliet! NURSE Madam, your mother craves a word with you.
ENTER JULIET EXIT JULIET
JULIET How now, who calls? ROMEO What is her mother?
NURSE Your mother. NURSE Her mother is the lady of the house.
JULIET Madam, I am here, what is your will? EXIT NURSE
LADY CAPULET Tell me, daughter Juliet, ROMEO [Staring after her] Is she a Capulet?
How stands your disposition to be married? BENVOLIO [Catching ROMEO by the arm] Away, be gone; the
JULIET It is an honour that I dream not of. sport is
2 at the best.
LADY CAPULET Well, think of marriage now. 14 The punishment for touching Juliet’s hand is to kiss it. 15
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love. Romeo compares hands held together in prayer and lips held
This night you shall behold him at our feast. together when kissing. It would be
NURSE Madam, the guests are come. illustrative to the audience if the couple held hands palm to
LADY CAPULET We follow thee. palm. 3
NURSE Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days. ROMEO Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.
EXIT NURSE and LADY CAPULET CAPULET [Addressing the entire room]
SCENE 4 I thank you all; I thank you honest gentlemen, goodnight.
A street By my fay, it waxes late.
ENTER ROMEO, BENVOLIO, MERCUTIO and The REVELLERS begin to disperse. ENTER JULIET and
REVELLERS NURSE
MERCUTIO Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. JULIET Come hither, Nurse. What is yond gentleman?
ROMEO Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes NURSE His name is Romeo, and a Montague,
With nimble soles, I have a soul of lead. The only son of your great enemy.
BENVOLIO Come, knock and enter.12 JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate.
ROMEO But ’tis no wit to go.13 Too early seen unknown, and known too late.
12 The party at Capulet’s 13 It is not wise to go. EXIT all
MERCUTIO Why, may one ask? SCENE 6
ROMEO I dreamt a dream tonight. Outside the walls of
MERCUTIO And so did I. the House of Capulet
ROMEO And what was yours? ROMEO hides. ENTER BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO
MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie BENVOLIO Romeo! My cousin, Romeo! Romeo! He ran this way
BENVOLIO [hurrying them along] Supper is done, and we shall and
come leapt this orchard wall.
too late. [giving up]
ROMEO I fear too early: for my mind misgives Come,
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Blind is his love, and best befits the dark.
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date MERCUTIO If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark.
With this night’s revels. BENVOLIO Go then, for ’tis in vain
EXIT all To seek him here that means not to be found.
SCENE 5 EXIT MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO
Capulet’s House SCENE 7
The room is crowded, the people dance and drink. Capulet’s Orchard
ROMEO and JULIET wind up dancing together before ROMEO hides
PARIS spins her away. ROMEO stands downstage ROMEO He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
awestruck and following her movements. He stops a But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
passing servant. It is the east and Juliet is the sun!
ROMEO What lady’s that? It is my lady, O, it is my love!
SERVANT I know not, sir. O, that she knew she were!
ROMEO O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. JULIET appears at her balcony
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight. JULIET Ay me!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. ROMEO She speaks.
[He moves to follow her] O, speak again bright angel!
TYBALT [who has been standing behind ROMEO] JULIET O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?16
This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin, Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
To strike him dead I hold it not a sin. And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
CAPULET Why, how now, kinsman, wherefore storm you so? ROMEO Shall I hear more, or speak at this?
TYBALT Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe: JULIET ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
A villain that is hither come in spite Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
To scorn at our solemnity this night. O, be some other name.
CAPULET Young Romeo is it? What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone. By any other word would smell as sweet.
TYBALT I’ll not endure him. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called.
CAPULET He shall be endured. Am I the master here or you? Go Romeo, doff thy name,
to. And for that name, which is no part of thee,
TYBALT Why, uncle, ’tis a shame. Take all myself.
EXIT TYBALT ROMEO [emerging from his hiding place]
ROMEO [Taking JULIET by the hand] I take thee at thy word.
If I profane with my unworthiest hand Call me but love, and henceforth I never will be Romeo.
JULIET [shocked] Art thou not a Montague? ROMEO [to MERCUTIO] I will follow you.
How cam’st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? MERCUTIO Farewell ancient lady.
ROMEO With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls. 19 I willl help you for one reason; your marriage may reconcile
JULIET If any of my kinsmen find thee here they will murder your feuding families. 20 Good afternoon.
thee. EXIT MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO
ROMEO I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes, NURSE First let me tell ye, if ye should lead her in a fool’s
And but thou love me, let them find me here.17 paradise,
My life were better ended by their hate as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, truly it
Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. were an ill thingROMEO I protest unto thee –
JULIET Dost thou love me? O gentle Romeo, Bid her to come to shrift this afternoon,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully. And there she shall at Friar Lawrence’s cell
ROMEO Lady by yonder blessed moon I vow. Be shrived 21and married.
JULIET O swear not by the moon, NURSE She shall be there.
ROMEO What shall I swear by? EXIT both
16 ‘Wherefore’ in this context means ‘why’. She is asking why SCENE 10
the man she loves must be Romeo, the Capulet’s house.
Montague. JULIET awaits her nurse
17 Unless you love me, let them find me, I’d rather die than live ENTER NURSE
without your love. JULIET O honey nurse, what news?
JULIET Do not swear at all. Or if thou wiltNURSE (calling from NURSE I am a-weary, give me leave a while.
within) Madam! JULIET Come, I pray thee, speak.
JULIET Anon good nurse! NURSE Do you not see that I am out of breath?
Three words good Romeo, and goodnight indeed. JULIET How art thou out of breath when thou hast breath
If that thy bent of love be honourable, To say to me that thou art out of breath?
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow, Is thy news good, or bad? Answer to that.
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay, NURSE [Giving in] Your love says like an honest gentleman –
And follow thee my lord throughout the world. Where is your mother?
NURSE Madam! JULIET Where is my mother? How oddly thou repliest!
JULIET By and by, I come! Come, what says Romeo?
Tomorrow will I send. NURSE Hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell.
ROMEO So thrive my soul There stays a husband to make you a wife!
4 EXIT JULIET and NURSE separately
JULIET A thousand times good night. SCENE 11
EXIT JULIET Friar Lawrence’ Cell
ROMEO Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books, 21 Shrift was confession. Shrived meant the act of confession
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. which was required before receiving the
SCENE 8 sacrament of marriage.
Friar Lawrence’s Cell 5
FRIAR LAWRENCE in his cell ROMEO waits with FRIAR LAWRENCE in a single
ENTER ROMEO spotlight. JULIET ENTERS with NURSE by her side.
ROMEO Good morrow father! JULIET joins ROMEO, they join hands and gaze into
FRIAR LAWRENCE [startled] Benedicite! each other’s eyes.
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight. FRIAR LAWRENCE So smile the heavens upon this holy act
God pardon sin, wast thou with Rosaline? That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.
ROMEO With Rosaline, my ghostly18 father? No. They kiss.
I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe. EXIT all
FRIAR LAWRENCE That’s my good son; but be plain, where hast SCENE 12
thou been A street
then? ENTER BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO
ROMEO Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set BENVOLIO I pray you, good Mercutio, lets retire;
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet. The day is hot, the Capels22 are abroad,
We met, we wooed, we made exchange of vow, And if we meet we shall not ’scape a brawl,
I’ll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, By my head, here come the Capulets.
18 Spiritual rather than supernatural MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not.
That thou consent to marry us today. ENTER TYBALT and others
FRIAR LAWRENCE Holy Saint Francis! TYBALT Gentlemen, good e’en: a word with one of you.
ROMEO I pray thee chide me not. MERCUTIO And but one word with one of us? Couple it with
FRIAR LAWRENCE Come, something;
In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; make it a word and a blow.
For this alliance may so happy prove TYBALT You shall find me apt enough to that, sir.
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.19 Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.
EXIT both MERCUTIO Consort?23 What, dost that make us minstrels?
SCENE 9 ENTER ROMEO now secretly married and therefore
A street related to the Capulets.
ENTER MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO TYBALT Well, peace be with you, sir, here comes my man.
MERCUTIO Where the devil should this Romeo be? Romeo! The love I bear thee can afford
Came he not home tonight? No better term than this: thou art a villain.
BENVOLIO Not to his father’s. I spoke with his man. ROMEO Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much
ENTER ROMEO. The two turn their backs on him excuse such a greeting: villain am I none.
ROMEO Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give TYBALT Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries thou hast done me.
you? ROMEO I do protest I never injured thee.
MERCUTIO The slip, sir, the slip. 22 Capulets 23 To consort is to associate with. A consort is a
ROMEO Pardon, good Mercutio; my business was great. group of musicians – Mercutio puns on the word to
MERCUTIO [Noting Romeo’s good mood] argue with Tybalt.
Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
[ENTER NURSE] As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.
God ye good den20, fair gentlewoman. MERCUTIO O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
NURSE Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the [He draws]
young Romeo? Tybalt, you rat catcher24, will you walk?
ROMEO I can tell you; I am the youngest of that name. TYBALT What wouldst thou have with me?
NURSE If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you. MERCUTIO Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives.
TYBALT I am for you. [He draws] Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts.
ROMEO Gentle Mercutio - O find him, give this ring to my true knight
They fight. MERCUTIO is the better swordsman, And bid him come to take his last farewell.
TYBALT is struggling to keep up. EXIT NURSE
ROMEO Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince expressly hath EXIT JULIET
Forbid this. Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio! SCENE 14
TYBALT under ROMEO’s arm wounds MERCUTIO Friar Lawrence’ Cell
BENVOLIO Art thou hurt? FRIAR LAWRENCE and ROMEO
MERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough. FRIAR LAWRENCE Affliction is enamoured of thy parts
ROMEO Courage man, the hurt cannot be much. And thou art wedded to calamity.
MERCUTIO ’Twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find ROMEO [Grief stricken]
me a Banishment! Be merciful, say ‘death’.
grave man. A plague o’ both your houses. For exile hath more terror in his look,
A plague o’ both your houses. Much more than death. Do not say ‘banishment’.
MERCUTIO dies FRIAR LAWRENCE This is dear mercy and thou seest it not.
BENVOLIO Here comes Tybalt. ROMEO ’Tis torture and not mercy. Heaven is here
ROMEO Alive, in triumph, and Mercutio slain. Where Juliet lives, and every unworthy thing,
Tybalt, Mercutio’s soul Live here in heaven and may look on her,
Is but a little way above our heads, But Romeo may not.
Staying for thine to keep him company. KNOCKING
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.25 FRIAR LAWRENCE Good Romeo, hide thyself.
TYBALT Thou, wretched boy, shalt with him hence. More knocking
They FIGHT. ROMEO kills TYBALT Who knocks so hard? Whence came you, what’s your will?
24 Tybalt is known as ‘the Prince of Cats’. Mercutio reduces this NURSE I come from Lady Juliet.
name to a catcher of vermin and FRIAR LAWRENCE Welcome then.
nothing else. ENTER NURSE
25 Mercutio’s soul has not yet left the earth, he waits for yours ROMEO Where is she? And how doth she? And what says
to keep him company. Either yours or My concealed lady to our cancelled love?
mine, or both must go with him – i.e. either you, I or both of us NURSE O, she says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps.
die. But here, sir, a ring she bid me give you.
BENVOLIO Romeo, away, be gone. The prince will doom thee to Hie you, make haste, for it grows very late.
death. EXIT NURSE
Hence, be gone, away! ROMEO How well my comfort is revived by this.
ROMEO O, I am fortune’s fool. FRIAR LAWRENCE Sojourn in Mantua. I’ll find out your man,
EXIT ROMEO. ENTER PRINCE, MONTAGUE, And he shall signify from time to time
CAPULET, their wives and others. Every good hap to you that chances here.
PRINCE Where are the vile beginners of this fray? Give me thy hand. ’Tis late. Farewell. Good night.
BENVOLIO There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, ROMEO Farewell.
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio. EXIT ROMEO
LADY CAPULET Tybalt, my cousin, O my brother’s child! EXIT FRIAR LAWRENCE
O, the blood is spilled SCENE 15
Of my dear kinsman. Prince, as thou art true, Capulet’s House
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague. PARIS and CAPULET in discussion
BENVOLIO Romeo spoke him fair. PARIS These times of woe afford no time to woo.26
Tybalt, deaf to peace, tilts at bold Mercutio’s breast. Madam goodnight. Commend me to your daughter.
Romeo, he cries aloud CAPULET Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender
6 Of my child’s love. I think she will be ruled
And ’twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm 7
Tybalt hit the life of stout Mercutio. In all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not.
LADY CAPULET He is a kinsman to the Montague. Wife, bid her, on Thursday, tell her,
Affection makes him false. He speaks not true. She shall be married to this noble earl.
I beg for Justice, which thou, Prince, must give. EXIT both
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live. SCENE 16
PRINCE For that offence Juliet’s Bedroom
Immediately we do exile him hence. 26 This time of grief has no place for trying to win Juliet.
Let Romeo hence in haste, ROMEO and JULIET together
Else, when he is found, that hour will be his last. Sfx. BIRDSONG
EXIT all JULIET Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
SCENE 13 It was the nightingale and not the lark.
Juliet’s bedroom ROMEO It was the lark, the herald of the morn.
JULIET awaits news from her nurse I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
JULIET Come, gentle night, give me my Romeo. JULIET Yond light is not daylight, I know it, I.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love Thou need’st not be gone.
But not yet possessed it, and though I am sold, ROMEO Let me be ta’en, let me be put to death.
Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day! I have more care to stay than will to go.
ENTER NURSE Come death, and welcome. Juliet wills it so.
Now, Nurse, what news? How is’t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day.
NURSE We are undone, lady, we are undone. JULIET It is, it is. Hie hence, begone, away.
Alack the day, he’s gone, he’s killed, he’s dead. O, now be gone, more light and light it grows.
JULIET What devil art thou, that dost torment me thus? ENTER NURSE hurriedly
Hath Romeo slain himself? NURSE Madam! Your Lady mother is coming to your chamber.
NURSE Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished. JULIET Then, window, let day in and let life out.27
Romeo that killed him, he is banished. ROMEO Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I’ll descend.
JULIET O God! Did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood? JULIET Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay husband, friend.
O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! O, think’st thou we shall ever meet again?
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? ROMEO I doubt it not.
O that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace! ROMEO moves to leave and does not hear the following
NURSE Will you speak well of him that killed your cousin? JULIET O God, I have an ill-divining soul!
JULIET Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low,
Tybalt is dead and Romeo – banished. As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.
That ‘banished’, that one word ‘banished’ ROMEO [Turning] Adieu, adieu.
ENTER LADY CAPULET JULIET O shut the door, God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou
LADY CAPULET Why, how now, Juliet? our hands;
JULIET Madam, I am not well. Give me some present counsel, I long to die
27 Romeo leaves through the window; there is no life without If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy.
Romeo. FRIAR LAWRENCE I do spy a kind of hope.
LADY CAPULET Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death? If, rather than to marry County Paris,
Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child; Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself,
One who, to put thee from thy heaviness Then it is likely thou wilt undertake
Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy. A thing like death to chide away this shame.
JULIET Madam, in happy time. What day is that? JULIET I will do it without fear or doubt.
LADY CAPULET Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn To live an unstained wife to my sweet love.
The gallant Paris shall happily make thee a joyful bride. FRIAR LAWRENCE Hold then. Go home, be merry, give consent
JULIET He shall not make me a joyful bride! To marry Paris.
I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber.
I will not marry yet. And when I do, I swear Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, And this distilling liquor drink thou off;
Rather than Paris. When presently through all thy veins shall run
LADY CAPULET [shocked] No pulse, no warmth.
Tell him so yourself, The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade
And see how he will take it at your hands. And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death
ENTER CAPULET Thou shall continue two and forty hours,
Sir, she will none, she gives you thanks. And then awake as from pleasant sleep.
I would the fool were married to her grave. Thou shall be borne to that same ancient vault
CAPULET How? Will she none? Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.
Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest, In the meantime, against thou shalt awake,
Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift
So worthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom? And hither shall he come.
Go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, JULIET Love, give me strength and strength shall help afford.
Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Farewell, dear father!
Out, you baggage! EXIT JULIET
JULIET Hear me with patience but to speak a word. EXIT FRIAR LAWRENCE
CAPULET Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! SCENE 18
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me. Juliet’s Bedroom
EXIT CAPULET LADY CAPULET and NURSE preparing JULIET for her
JULIET O, sweet my mother, cast me not away! wedding day
Delay this marriage for a month, a week, JULIET Gentle Nurse,
Or, if you do not, make the bridal bed I pray thee, leave me to myself tonight.
In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. LADY CAPULET Good night.
EXIT LADY CAPULET without looking at JULIET Get thee to bed, and rest, for thou hast need.
JULIET Alack, alack, that heaven should practise stratagems EXIT LADY CAPULET and NURSE
Upon so soft a subject as myself. JULIET Farewell. God knows when we shall meet again.
What sayst thou? What if this mixture do not work at all?
NURSE Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing. Shall I be married then tomorrow morning?
I think you are happy in this second match, No, no, this shall forbid it. [she lays down a knife]
For it excels your first; or, if it did not, Romeo, I come! This I do drink to thee.
Your first is dead, or ’twere as good he were. She drinks and lies down as if sleeping. Lighting suggests
JULIET [Pause] the passage of night and the break of morning. ENTER
Go in, and tell my lady I am gone, NURSE who tries to rouse JULIET. Thinking her dead
Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’ cell, she runs from the room. EXIT NURSE.
8 9
To make confession and to be absolved.
NURSE Marry, I will, and ’tis wisely done.
EXIT NURSE
JULIET Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend,
I’ll to the Friar, to know his remedy. SCENE 19
If all else fail, myself have the power to die. Friar Lawrence’ Cell
EXIT JULIET [this can be played in a single downstage spot to
SCENE 17 quicken the pace]
Friar Lawrence’ Cell FRIAR LAWRENCE in his cell
PARIS and FRIAR LAWRENCE in conversation ENTER FRIAR JOHN holding a letter
PARIS …Now do you know the reason of this haste FRIAR JOHN I could not send it, nor get a messenger to bring it
FRIAR LAWRENCE [to himself] I would I knew not why it should thee.
be slowed.28 Here it is again -
Look sir, here comes the lady towards my cell. FRIAR LAWRENCE O unhappy fortune.
ENTER JULIET The letter was of dear import and the neglecting of it
PARIS Happily met, my lady and my wife. May do much danger.
JULIET That may be, sir, when I may be a wife. Now must I to the monument alone.
PARIS That may be, must be, love, on Thursday next. EXIT both separately
JULIET What must be shall be. SCENE 20
FRIAR LAWRENCE That’s a certain text. Mantua
PARIS Come you to make confession to this father?
JULIET To answer that, I should confess to you.
[to FRIAR LAWRENCE] Are you at leisure, holy father
now?
28 I wish I didn’t know why the marriage has to be delayed!
FRIAR LAWRENCE My leisure serves me, pensive daughter now.
My lord, we must entreat the time alone.
PARIS Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye.
Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss.
They kiss. EXIT PARIS
 See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
ROMEO awaits news from Verona That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love;
ENTER BALTHAZAR And I, for winking at your discords too,
ROMEO News from Verona! How now Balthazar, Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished.
Dost thou not bring me letters from the Friar? CAPULET O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
How doth my lady? MONTAGUE There shall no figure at such rate be set
For nothing can be ill if she be well. As that of true and faithful Juliet.29
BALTHAZAR Then she is well and nothing can be ill. CAPULET As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie,
Her body sleeps in Capel’s monument. Poor sacrifices of our enmity.
ROMEO [PAUSE] PRINCE For never was a story of more woe
Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars! Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
I will hence tonight. THE END
BALTHAZAR I do beseech you sir, have patience.
ROMEO Thou art deceived.
Hast thou no letters to me from the Friar? 11
BALTHAZAR No my good lord.
ROMEO Get thee gone. I’ll be with thee straight.
EXIT BALTHAZAR
Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.
Crossing the stage and banging on a door
What ho! Apothecary!
Come hither man. I see that thou art poor.
Hold, there is forty ducats. Let me have
A dram of poison.
APOTHECARY Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua’s law
Is death to any he that utters them.
My poverty, but not my will, consents.
ROMEO I pay thy poverty and not thy will.
EXIT both
SCENE 21
Capel’s Monument
The tomb is eerie and dark, a place of death and ghosts. It
is terrifying. JULIET lies as though dead. ENTER
ROMEO
ROMEO O my love, my wife,
Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath
Hath no power yet upon thy beauty.
Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death’s pale flag is not advanced there.
Dear Juliet, why art thou yet so fair?
O here will I set up my everlasting rest.
Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace! And lips,
Seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing Death!
[he kisses her]
Here’s to my love [he drinks] O true apothecary,
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
ROMEO falls. JULIET rises.
JULIET [seeing Romeo] Romeo!
What’s here 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]
Movement is heard outside the tomb
Yea noise? O happy dagger.
This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.
She stabs herself and falls
ENTER FRIAR LAWRENCE
FRIAR LAWRENCE Juliet!
He regards the scene with horror and stumbles out. EXIT
FRIAR LAWRENCE. Lighting suggests the passage of
time. ENTER FRIAR LAWRENCE and PRINCE
10

PRINCE What misadventure is so early up,

That calls our person from our morning rest?
ENTER CAPULET and LADY CAPULET
CAPULET What should it be, that is so shrieked abroad?
LADY CAPULET O the people in the street cry ‘Romeo’
And some ‘Juliet’…
They stare at the scene. ENTER MONTAGUE. FRIAR
LAWRENCE kneels and prays beside the bodies.
MONTAGUE Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight.
Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath.
What further woe conspires against mine age?
[he sees ROMEO and JULIET and falls silent]
PRINCE Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague,