Star Crossed/Criss Crossed Lovers

Both Romeo and Juliet are characters that can be played in many different ways. The way in which they are played is entirely left up to interpretation. Are they immature? Are they wise for their age? Are they truly so struck dumb with love that nothing else matters to them? The beauty of theatre is that each and every production is different. Sure the words might be the same, but it's impossible to 100% re-create another show that has already occurred. This of course leads to people performing it traditionally, or in a more modern sense. In her article, Jennifer L. Martin compares two productions of Romeo and Juliet. She says, "Zeffirelli's film casts two very young and virtually unknown actors, Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in the roles of Romeo and Juliet. The director's vision of adolescent love is one of immediacy and immaturity. The young lovers, particularly Romeo, act impulsively and are naive pawns in a deterministic world..." "...Luhrmann's interpretation of Shakespeare's text, on the other hand, pays homage not only to the primary source, but also to filmic versions that came before. However, Luhrmann's depiction of the two young lovers, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, marks a definitive departure from Zeffirelli's in that his two lovers are more grounded and reflective and show more inner maturity and strength of character..." This demonstrates two different directors making completely different approaches to how Romeo and Juliet are portrayed in their own productions.

Martin, Jennifer L. "Tights vs. Tattoos: Filmic Interpretations of "Romeo and Juliet"." English Journal. 92.1 (2002): 41. Print.