It’s everywhere!
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The basic story, of two young lovers from opposing families in Italy, had been popular for
hundreds of years before Shakespeare wrote the play. However, there is no evidence
Romeo or Juliet ever actually existed. We think Shakespeare based the play on a poem he
had read.

What makes Romeo and Juliet special is how Shakespeare tells the story. It has become
perhaps his best-known play. Romeo and Juliet has been filmed many times and adapted
in all sorts of ways. For instance, there are cartoon versions for children, older versions
with the rude jokes taken out, and others set with gang fights in the US.

There are also countless references to Romeo and Juliet in songs, books, even in ordinary
conversation. For instance, a young lad who goes out with lots of girls is often referred to
as a real 'Romeo', even if he is actually called Wayne and lives in Nottingham with his
mum.

The play also contains many expressions that Shakespeare invented and are still in use
today, such as 'on a wild goose chase' or 'fool's paradise'. More recently, builders have
started to use the term 'Juliet balcony' (although many of them now spell it 'Juliette
balcony'). This is very shallow balcony with a rail in front of a patio door. Oddly enough,
there's no mention of a balcony in the play itself. But it has become traditional to have
Juliet talking to Romeo from one.
It’s Shakespeare for preschoolers
It is Romeo and Juliet transplanted
to 1980s Manhattan. The warring
gangs are Chinese in Chinatown
versus Italians in Little Italy. There
are Shakespearean parallels.
Simba's daughter is the
key to a resolution of a
bitter feud between
Simba's pride and the
outcast pride led by the
mate of Scar.
Percy Robert Miller, Jr.
(born August 19, 1989),
better known by his stage
name Romeo
(previously Lil' Romeo)
Anthony "Romeo" Santos
(born July 21, 1981)
The Sims 2 includes a
neighborhood, Veronaville (a
parody of Verona) in which two
characters named Romeo Monty
and Juliette Capp fall in love.
Edward
“Romeo, save me their trying to tell me how to feel,
this love is difficult, but its real.”
Shakespeare in Love
The original Globe was not anything like where you would see one of Shakespeare’s plays today. The Globe
theatre was very primitive, as were a lot of buildings from this time period. Obviously there were no
bathrooms so many patrons relieved themselves in the fields or bushes surrounding the theatre. The Globe
was a small, cramped, and smelly place. There were usually about 3000 people crammed inside. There were
several different sections within this theatre according to your wealth and lifestyle. The audience members
ranged from the poor common folk to the upper class lords and ladies. Since the Globe was an open-air
theatre it could only be used during the summer months. During the cold winter months Shakespeare and
his company performed at an indoor theatre just north of the Thames River. Many times they opened the
play at the indoor theatre and later moved it to the Globe. During the different productions at the Globe,
musicians were brought in to enhance the impression the audience gets from the play. Individual musicians
and orchestrated music is still used today.