Romeo and Juliet is the play which, in English literature at least, effectively invented the modern love story. Its charm and its power derive from the romantic setting (Verona, an Italian Renaissance city), the youthful innocence and ardour of the lovers, and (perhaps crucially) the excitement and drama created by the opposition which they have to contend with, an opposition which does not simply stem from the older generation but which is starkly present in the feud between their two families and which seems to be supported by the malignity of Fate. The wit, tenderness, dramatic variety and poetic beauty of this play continue to work their spell: it has proved a perennial favourite inspiring, even in our century, works such as the musical West Side Story.
Romeo and Juliet
Narrator:
Michael Sheen
Narrator:
Kate Beckinsale
Narrator:
Philip Madoc
Narrator:
Norman Rodway
Narrator:
David Bradley
Narrator:
Frances Barber
Narrator:
Edward de Souza
Narrator:
Judy Loe
Narrator:
Fiona Shaw
Narrator:
Heathcote Williams
Narrator:
Anton Lesser
Narrator:
Jasper Britton
Narrator:
Ronan Vibert
Narrator:
Simon Harris
Narrator:
Peter Yapp
Narrator:
John Paul Connolly
Narrator:
Jason Cheater
Narrator:
John Summerfield
Narrator:
Hywell Simons
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