SHAKESPEARE PLAYS, THE: ROMEO AND JULIET (TV)
Summary
One in this series of BBC productions of the plays of William Shakespeare. This production presents the tragedy of two young lovers who are members of rival families in Verona. The program opens as the prince imposes the penalty of death upon any public fighting between Montagues and Capulets. Romeo meets Juliet at a ball at her father's house and the two fall in love. In Act II, Romeo and Juliet secretly marry. Shortly thereafter, Tybalt kills Mercutio in a fight. Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge, and the Prince exiles Romeo from Verona. Unaware of her wedding, Capulet promises the hand of his daughter Juliet in marriage to Paris. Desperate to escape the betrothal and run away with Romeo, Juliet drinks a substance which makes her appear dead. Romeo misses an important missive and believes Juliet to be genuinely dead, and he drinks poison and dies. Juliet awakens and, seeing Romeo dead, stabs herself. "Shakespeare in Perspective" with Germaine Greer follows.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: March 14, 1979 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:49:43
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T79:0256
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616; Theater
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1979-1985
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Ann Blumenthal … Series Producer
- Cedric Messina … Producer
- Alvin Rakoff … Director
- William Shakespeare … Writer
- James Tyler … Music by
- William Walton … Theme Music by
- Geraldine Stephenson … Choreographer
- Patrick Ryecart … Cast, Romeo
- Rebecca Saire … Cast, Juliet
- Celia Johnson … Cast, Nurse
- Michael Hordern … Cast, Capulet
- John Gielgud … Cast, Chorus
- Joseph O'Conor … Cast, Friar Laurence
- Laurence Naismith … Cast, Prince Escalus
- Anthony Andrews … Cast, Mercutio
- Alan Rickman … Cast, Tybalt
- Jacqueline Hill … Cast, Lady Capulet
- Christopher Strauli … Cast, Benvolio
- Christopher Northey … Cast, Paris
- Paul Henry … Cast, Peter
- Roger Davidson … Cast, Balthasar
- John Paul … Cast, Montague
- Zulema Dene … Cast, Lady Montague
- Esmond Knight … Cast, Old Capulet
- David Sibley … Cast, Sampson
- Jack Carr … Cast, Gregory
- Bunny Reed … Cast, Abraham
- Vernon Dobtcheff … Cast, Apothecary
- John Savident … Cast, Friar John
- Danny Schiller … Cast, Musician
- Jeremy Young … Cast, 1st Watch
- Jeffrey Cheswick … Cast, 2nd Watch
- Gary Taylor … Cast, Potpan
- Mark Arden … Cast, Page
- Robert Burbage … Cast, Page
- Alan Bowerman … Cast, 1st Citizen