How to Read Drama
Why do students still study a play that was written over four hundred years ago? As you will soon discover, the story of Romeo and Juliet is timeless. Two young people from different backgrounds fall in love, but circumstances outside of their control threaten to keep them apart. The language of Shakespeare may seem archaic, but a closer look at how his plays are performed can you help you appreciate and understand how Shakespeare's spin on this classic love story has withstood the test of time.
View the video Romeo and Juliet: Teens Act It Out from eMediaVASM. In this video segment, actor Joseph Fiennes, who portrayed Shakespeare and Romeo in the award-winning film Shakespeare in Love, visits a classroom in London where students are studying the text of Romeo and Juliet. As the students perform various scenes, you will see them try out different strategies to add emotion and an authentic feel to the dialogue.