Love and die.
Romeo and Juliet – the story of blind passion that spirals out of control. Love, violence, and hate are born from a burning need to feel deeply. The hatred is something they’ve grown up with – Romeo and Juliet belong to two old, noble families who have despised each other for so long that no one even remembers why.
In this production, we meet Romeo and Juliet in a fictional present day – they party, yearn, hang out downtown, and break the rules. Everything happens now, immediately. Without a thought for the consequences.
– Romeo and Juliet is called the world’s most famous love story, but in my view, the play isn’t about romantic love. It’s about burning passion – as much hate as love. About being in love with the idea of love. About being young and immortal, says director David Sandqvist.
On stage is a powerful ensemble – big personalities and the stars of tomorrow. Romeo is played by Vega Adsten and Juliet by Selina Ukkonen. The other performers are Jakob Bladh, Daniela Franzell, Samuel Karlsson, Julia Korander, Oksana Lommi, Bella Paasimäki, Ingemar Raukola, Jerry Wahlforss, Edit Williams and Walter Öhman.
Age recommendation: 13+. Trigger warnings below.
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These subtitles are not a direct translation from the Swedish but are based on Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine’s English adaptation.
Read more about the subtitles in English here!
ACT 1: In Verona, hatred runs in the family. Two powerful houses, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been at war for generations. No one remembers how it began, but their feud still rules the city. Fights break out in the streets, and the air is thick with pride and revenge.
In the middle of all this, two young people meet. Romeo, son of Montague, follows his friends to a party at the Capulet house. There he sees Juliet – and in an instant, he is lost. She is the daughter of the enemy, but that doesn’t matter. They fall in love immediately, with a passion so strong nothing can stop it.
That very night, Romeo sneaks to Juliet’s balcony. They confess their feelings, whisper promises in the dark, and decide to marry in secret. Friar Laurence, who dreams of peace between the families, agrees to unite them.
For a brief moment, they taste happiness – but reality soon catches up. Juliet’s hot-tempered cousin Tybalt is furious that Romeo dared to appear at the ball. He provokes a fight, and in the clash Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend Mercutio. Overcome with grief and rage, Romeo takes revenge and kills Tybalt. The punishment is severe: Romeo is banished from Verona.
ACT 2: Romeo and Juliet share only one night together before he must flee. Meanwhile, Juliet’s parents push her to marry Count Paris. She refuses, but no one will listen. With no way out, she turns again to Friar Laurence, who gives her a dangerous plan: a potion that will make her appear dead. In this way, she can escape the marriage and be reunited with Romeo.
But fate has other plans. The message that Juliet is only sleeping never reaches Romeo. Instead, he hears she is truly dead. Heartbroken, he rushes back to Verona with poison in his hand. Then he takes his final farewell, drinks the poison, and dies at her side.
Moments later Juliet wakes. Seeing Romeo lifeless beside her, she realizes all is lost. She takes his dagger and follows him in death.
Only then does the city awaken. The two families finally see the cost of their hatred – but too late. Two young lives have been extinguished forever.
Welcome to Publikklubben (swe. for Audience Club) – the theatre experience where you’re never alone. We bring together theatre lovers who want to enjoy the performing arts in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, both during the performance and the interval. Your host is the theatre’s audience outreach worker.
The Audience Club meeting on 24 October will be held in English. On other dates, the main languages will be Swedish and Finnish.
Choose a date that works for you:
Sat 20.9 at 3:15 pm
Thurs 9.10 at 5:45 pm
Fri 24.10 at 5:45 pm
Sat 8.11 at at 5:15 pm
Wed 10.12 at 5:45 pm
If none of the autumn dates suit you, you can select the option Expression of Interest in the registration form, and you will then receive information about the spring meetings by e-mail!
Price: 50€
The price includes an A-seat ticket to Romeo and Juliet and a drink during the interval.
Register here. The Audience Club will meet if there is enough attendees registerd.
Violence, blood, knives, suicide.
