Three Questions Inspired by PBS Romeo & Juliet
In a recent National Theater/PBS production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , some of the most demanding, harsh lines scripted for Juliet's father, addressing Tybalt (1.5) and Juliet (3.5), were reassigned to her mother. [Screenshot from "The Making of Romeo and Juliet via PBS. Fair use.] - In 1.5, when Tybalt at the Capulet masque sees/hears Romeo, Tybalt says he wants to kill him on the spot. Instead of Juliet's father confronting him, her mother does, demanding Tybalt show better civility on this occasion, in her house. - In 3.5: Instead of Juliet's father demanding that Juliet (who has secretly married Romeo) must marry Paris or be disowned, again, Juliet's mother gets these lines; in the original text, Lady Capulet was merely given the chance to briefly assent to her husband's harsh castigation of the daughter. [Photo by Rob Youngson via PBS .] - The scenes were played convincingly, I thought. - On the one hand, Shakespeare would ...