One-lesson activity pack
If you only have time for one lesson before
the show to prepare your students,
here is a one-lesson activity pack.
The Story of Romeo and Juliet
Read and listen to the story of Romeo and Juliet (track 1).
The play is set in Verona, Italy. It is the story of two families who are enemies. The Montagues and the Capulets.
The play begins with a fight between Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend) and Tybalt (a Capulet). Romeo (a Montague)
tries to stop the fight and is angry with his friend. He wants the fighting between the Capulets and the
Montagues to end.
Romeo has a reputation for always falling in love. At the beginning of the play he says he’s in love with Rosaline.
Mercutio teases him about Rosaline. He persuades Romeo to go with him to a party where he will see her.
Romeo doesn’t want to go because it’s a Capulet party and he thinks there will be fighting. Mercutio explains
that it’s a fancy dress party and that if they wear masks and wigs the Capulets will not recognise them.
Romeo doesn’t see Rosaline at the party. Instead, he meets and falls in love with Juliet, who is a Capulet. At first
Romeo doesn’t know that Juliet is a Capulet and she doesn’t know that he is a Montague. When they discover
this they don’t care, but Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) is very angry when he sees them together. Romeo doesn’t want
any trouble between the two families but Tybalt and Mercutio start fighting. When they hear the police coming
everyone leaves the party.
Later, Romeo visits Juliet secretly on her balcony. They know their families will never let them go out together
so they decide to ask Friar Lawrence to marry them. They think that nobody will stop them being together if
they are married. Friar Lawrence wants the two families to stop fighting so he agrees to marry them. After the
wedding Romeo sees Tybalt and Mercutio fighting in the street. He tries to stop the fight but when Tybalt kills
Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge.
Juliet’s parents don’t know that that Romeo and Juliet are married. When they hear that Tybalt is dead they
want their daughter to marry a rich man called Paris. When Romeo arrives at Juliet’s balcony again he explains
why he killed Tybalt. Juliet is still in love with Romeo and is very worried about Paris. They decide to ask Friar
Lawrence to help them again. Friar Lawrence tells Juliet to pretend that she will marry Paris. He then gives her
a potion that makes her parents think she is dead. The plan works and Juliet is placed in the family tomb where
she will meet Romeo.
However, Friar Lawrence cannot contact Romeo to tell him the plan. When Romeo sees Juliet in the tomb he
thinks that she is dead. He takes poison and dies. When Juliet wakes up she sees Romeo and stabs herself.
When the two families discover the dead lovers they make peace. The war between the Montagues and the
Capulets is over.
I PA
I PA
This activity is designed to be used in conjunction with a performance of IPA Productions’ Romeo and Juliet.
For more information, visit www.ipaproductions.com.
The Characters
Read and listen to these descriptions of the characters in the play (track 2).
Romeo is from the Montague family. His family are enemies of the Capulet family. He is a handsome, young
man. He lives with his parents. He doesn’t like fighting and thinks people who fight are stupid. He has a
reputation for falling in love.
Mercutio is Romeo’s best friend. He likes fighting and doesn’t understand why Romeo doesn’t like fighting too.
He likes danger and excitement. He often teases his friend Romeo.
Friar Lawrence is a hippy. He believes in peace. He helps people by reading Tarot cards and mixing herbs to
cure their illnesses. He marries Romeo and Juliet in an attempt to stop the war between their families.
Tybalt is about the same age as Romeo and Mercutio. He is part of the Capulet family. He hates the Montagues
and is always looking for a fight with them. He is very protective of his cousin, Juliet. He is very angry when he
sees Juliet with his enemy, Romeo.
Juliet is a teenager who lives with her parents. She is part of the Capulet family. She is very pretty and is
interested in clothes, boys and make-up. She writes in her diary every time she meets a boy she likes, but she
often changes her mind about them. She has a strong character and knows exactly what she wants to do.
Juliet’s father is an important person in the Capulet family. He makes a lot of money. He wants the Capulets to
become more powerful and for this reason he wants his daughter to marry a rich man.
Juliet’s mother wants Juliet’s father to be happy. She tries to persuade Juliet to do the things she knows will
please him. She is always talking to Juliet about Paris, a rich man. She knows that he would be a “good” husband
for Juliet and that if Juliet marries him the family will be stronger and more powerful.
I PA
I PA
This activity is designed to be used in conjunction with a performance of IPA Productions’ Romeo and Juliet.
For more information, visit www.ipaproductions.com.
Who Said That?
Which character do you think said each of the following? When you’ve decided, listen and find out if your
answers are correct (track 3).
Romeo
Juliet
Mercutio
Juliet’s mother
Friar Lawrence
Juliet’s father
1.
“Get your dirty hands off her you stinking Montague!”
2.
“Juliet, open the door, let us in, your father and I have some bad news.”
3.
“I’m not a coward. But I don’t want to fight.”
4.
“Oh, okay, I’ll talk to Paris. I’ll talk to Paris but I’m not kissing him.”
5.
“Calm down, here, have some herbal tea.”
6.
“Paris is the son of one of my business associates.”
7.
“I’ll marry you, for peace.”
8.
“I’ve always wanted to cut up a Montague.”
9.
“What’s this? Poison! Romeo what have you done?”
“Poor Tybalt. I didn’t want to kill him.”
10.
I PA
I PA
This activity is designed to be used in conjunction with a performance of IPA Productions’ Romeo and Juliet.
For more information, visit www.ipaproductions.com.
The Family
Look at the family tree of the Montague and Capulet families.
Mrs Capulet
Unknown
Mr Capulet
Lord Capulet
Mr Montague
Lady Capulet
Tybalt
Juliet
Mrs Montague
Lord Montague
Lady Montague
Romeo
Now complete the sentences using the information above. Use the possesive s in each sentence.
Lady Capulet’s daughter.
1. Juliet is
2. Romeo is
3. Tybalt is
4. Mr. Capulet
5. Lord Montague
6. Lady Capulet
7. Lord Capulet
8. Mrs. Montague
9.
10.
I PA
I PA
This activity is designed to be used in conjunction with a performance of IPA Productions’ Romeo and Juliet.
For more information, visit www.ipaproductions.com.