Romeo and Juliet

Chorus

Butler

Where’s Potpan? He should be helping clear the table. Is he carrying plates? Is he washing plates?

First Servant

When there’s only one person with good manners around here and he gets his hands dirty yelling at us too, it’s an unpleasant thing.

Romeo

So, should we make a little speech to excuse our being here, or should we just go straight in without an apology?

Benvolio

I think that kind of theatrical wordiness is old-fashioned. We don’t have one of us dressed up as blindfolded Cupid, scaring the ladies half to death with a plywood bow and arrow he borrowed from the theater props. Nor have we memorized a prologue and designated a prompter for the lines. They can judge us however they want. We’re just here for a few dances and then we’ll take off.

Lady Capulet

Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her to come see me.

Nurse

Now, I swear by the virginity I was still hanging on to when I was 12, I’ve already called that girl! Come, lamb! Come, darling! God forbid! Where’s that girl? What’s up with you girl?

Juliet

Hey, who’s calling me?

Nurse

Your mother.

Juliet

Mother, I’m here. What would you like?

Capulet

But Montague is legally bound to keep the peace by the Prince’s edict just as I am. This shouldn’t be difficult for two old guys like us.

Paris

It’s a pity that two men of such distinction as you are have lived in conflict for so long. But now, my lord, what do you think of my request?

Capulet

I’ll just repeat what I said before. My daughter is so young — not yet 14. We should wait at least two more years before she marries.

Sampson

Mark my words, Gregory, we won’t carry coals. We won’t tolerate their insults.

Gregory

Of course not, if we spent our time carrying coal, we’d be dirty coal carriers, wouldn’t we!

Sampson

What I mean is, if we are angry, we’ll draw our swords.

Gregory

Well, if you want to stay alive, rather than draw your sword, you’d better draw your neck out of the noose.

Our play is set in the lovely city of Verona, in northern Italy, where a long standing feud between two families of equal nobility once again breaks out into bloody violence. It will take the unfortunate and pitiful death of two young lovers, one from each family, to finally bring an end to their parents’ hatred. The frightening course of events in this love affair, doomed by the persistent hostility of their families, is the theme of our two hour presentation on this stage.