On Stage
A lot has to happen before Romeo and Juliet meet their untimely tragic end, and the best way to learn a story is to tell it. There is a wealth of action in this play, but there are ways to help everyone keep track.
- Divide the class into five groups.
- Allocate each group with either Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, or Act 5
- Each group has responsibility for their act, and must present back to the class a summarised version of the events of that act
- Groups should start by discussing the events that take place in their assigned act, and make a list of these key events
- The group must then decide how they will present their act to the class
Some ideas for presentation might include:
- A shared storytelling, enacting key moments
- Performing key lines that correspond with each key event
- Presenting a visual map of events
- Acting out a summarised version in a creative way
- A series of tableaux (frozen pictures)
- A rap battle
- or something entirely different! Be as creative as you like.
Once each group has completed and rehearsed their act, share the five acts in order with your class.
Note how the story connects from one act to the next. Note the differents in presentation styles. Discuss which acts were presented with the most clarity, and which were the most unique.
