Romeo and Juliet

This is the well-known William Shakespeare’s story about forbidden love. But then again, it is not. This love is forbidden, but not by feuding families. It is forbidden by all those who do not condone Romeo and Juliet’s age gap, which exceeds half a century.

Everyone knows the story of love born in the midst of animosity. Everyone has rooted for young lovers who can end a feud that began so long ago that no one even remembers why. Everyone has wanted to intervene, to open the eyes of the people blinded by revenge and show them the pure burgeoning love. Everyone has hoped that before the tragic end someone would come along and tell everyone what’s right, what’s wrong, what they should do and how things should not go on.

But this is not quite the same story. It is a story of love that we cannot even deem right or wrong. In this love story, we don’t know who to side with. In this story, we are not sure who should win – love or something else? In this story we may end up on the angry side ourselves. In this story we are not sure whether we are guided by a sound mind, pure conscience or erroneous prejudice. 

A co-production between Vanemuine and Tartu New Theatre

Premiere on 3 December 2022 at the Small Building of the Vanemuine Theatre