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The most famous and most infamous of love stories, Shakespeare's depiction of teenage is brought vividly to life .Exploring theme of innocence and the journey into adulthood, set against a culture of feuding communities, this exciting young company breathe a new energy into this timeless classic of British Theatre. As the fatal story unfolds, watch as this doomed romance unravels over five life-shattering days, as young Juliet and her Romeo embark on their fatal journey of love. Performed in the Free Church, St. Ives in March 2009. This sell-out production provided the opportunity to see SIYT's controversial stage fights that brought the company to the attention of the national press. However, this production was about so much more with actors cast at the same age as Shakepeare's tragic lovers and with male characters cast with female actors. A novel and moving interpretation that gripped audiences - a tour de force from this talented and enthusiastic corps. 'Truly Menacing' - Hunts Post 'Extremely Good Actors" - Telegraph.co.uk |
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As a dangerous vendetta spills onto the street and knives are drawn, the young lovers are forced to deceive their families and friends, risking all to be together. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two teenage "star-cross'd lovers" whose untimely deaths ultimately united their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal "young lovers". Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to Ancient Greece. Its plot is based on an Italian tale, translated into verse as The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562, and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1582. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both, but developed supporting characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris, in order to expand the plot. Believed to be written between 1591 and 1595, the play was first published in a quarto version in 1597. This text was of poor quality, and later editions corrected it, bringing it more in line with Shakespeare's original text. Romeo and Juliet has been adapted numerous times for stage, film, musical and opera. In the 20th century the play has been adapted in versions as diverse as MGM's comparatively faithful 1936 film, the 1950s stage musical West Side Story, and 1996's MTV-inspired Romeo + Juliet |
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William Shakespeare - (1564 –1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard". His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about his sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others. Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. |
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| Related Web Sites, Articles and Media Links | |
| Open Source Shakespeare | Staged teen 'fight' gives shoppers fright - Telegraph.co.uk - 24th Feb 2009 |
| The Internet Shakespeare Editions | Shoppers dial 999 after youth theatre stages Romeo & Juliet 'gang fight' during farmers' market - Mail Online - 24th Feb 2009 |
| Knife Crime | Romeo, wherefore art thou fighting? - Cambridge News - 24th Feb 2009 |
| Police called after Publicity Stunt Punch-Up - Hunts Post - 23th Feb 2009 | |
| Show pulls no Punches - Hunts Post - 11th March 2009 | |
| Letters to the Editor - Hunts Post - 25th March 2009 | |
