Rehearsal
(Sequences Eight and Nine)

Romeo and Juliet

This section deals with the rehearsal of the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet, their matched poetic duelling and their exchange of first kisses. The scene ends with the arrival of the Nurse and her giving to each of them the other's identity (Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 92–140)

The biggest challenge for the teachers at St Saviour's and St Olave's appears to have been the business of helping the students (both Year 9 girls) feel comfortable with the expression of intense emotions (including kissing) required by the scene. It is clearly difficult to legislate for ways of achieving this kind of performance from amateur student players of any age. Clearly, confidence springs from knowing and understanding the lines, which are exceedingly elaborate at this point. The scene is a playful duel between the two characters. They establish their compatibility by speaking in verse and elaborating the central conceit that Romeo is a pilgrim and Juliet a holy shrine to which he desires to pay his devotions. The duelling nature of the encounter and the central notion of a shrine are both highly ironic given later developments.

In an effort to reach this point, students need to know exactly what they are talking about. One way of doing this might be to get them to translate the speeches into modern-day language. It is by focusing on what is being said, enjoying the nature of the game and maintaining the sense that they are 'acting' that the St Saviour's and St Olave's students start to overcome their natural reticence at this point. The trick here is to keep the performance fresh – to make an audience believe this is the first meeting between the characters, despite the hours of rehearsal that have gone on behind the scenes. Having this brief sequence on film and showing it to students might be an aid in itself to teachers wishing to show their pupils what can be achieved with concentration and support from the whole class.
This sequence is also helpful in pointing out the effective tactic of the other actors on the stage providing a gently sung accompaniment to the central Romeo and Juliet encounter.