Romeo and Juliet

In Verona, two powerful families have been feuding for generations: the Capulets and the Montagues. Once again, a violent brawl breaks out in the streets, eventually involving even the heads of the families. It is only a decree from the Prince that interrupts the unrest: whoever is caught fighting in the future will be punished with death.

Romeo Montague was not involved in the brawl; he is consumed by unrequited love for his beloved Rosaline and cannot be cheered up, even by his best friend Benvolio.

Meanwhile, preparations for a grand ball are underway at the Capulet house. The young Count Paris has asked Capulet for his daughter Juliet's hand in marriage and is invited to the ball. Lady Capulet tries to persuade her daughter to consider marrying Paris.

Romeo and his friends Benvolio and Mercutio manage to sneak into the Capulets' ball in disguise. When Tybalt, Capulet's nephew, recognizes Romeo and tries to throw him out, Capulet restrains him. Finally, Romeo and Juliet see each other for the first time and instantly fall in love – only to then reveal their family names to each other in shock.

Romeo manages to slip away from his friends after the ball and sneaks back into the empty ballroom of the Capulets. There, he encounters Juliet, who is overwhelmed by her feelings, and reassures her of his sincere intentions: both confess their love for each other and promise to marry in secret the next day.

Romeo asks his confidant Friar Laurence to marry him to Juliet. The friar reminds Romeo of Rosaline and accuses him of being fickle. However, in the hope of a possible reconciliation between the two families, Lawrence eventually agrees and marries Romeo and Juliet.

On the streets of Verona, Tybalt insults Romeo and his friends. Romeo tries to settle the dispute. Mercutio, unaware of Romeo’s marriage to Juliet, becomes enraged and draws his sword against Tybalt. In the ensuing duel, Mercutio is fatally stabbed by Tybalt and, dying, curses both families. Romeo then kills Tybalt.

As Juliet waits for Romeo's visit that night, her mother tells her about Romeo's murder of Tybalt and his banishment from Verona. Juliet's initial anger towards Romeo eventually turns to compassion.

At Friar Laurence's, Romeo learns of his banishment and is devastated at the thought of leaving Juliet. Lawrence advises him to visit her secretly that night and to flee to Mantua the next morning; he himself plans to announce the marriage publicly when the time is right.

Meanwhile, Paris asks Capulet whether Juliet has accepted his proposal – Capulet sets the wedding date for three days later without Juliet’s consent.

At dawn, Romeo and Juliet bid each other farewell without being sure that they will meet again. Sinking into despair, Juliet is confronted by her parents with the news of her impending marriage to Paris. When she refuses, Capulet flies into a rage and threatens to disown her.

Paris tells Friar Laurence about his wedding plans when Juliet arrives. Laurence sends Paris away under the pretence of hearing Julia's confession. In the seemingly hopeless situation, Laurence and Juliet devise a plan: he gives her a potion that will put her into a death-like sleep for a day. Romeo is to be informed by letter so that he can rescue her from the Capulet family crypt.

Meanwhile, wedding preparations are in full swing at the Capulet house. To avoid raising suspicion, Juliet asks her father for forgiveness. In his euphoria, Capulet postpones the wedding to a day earlier.

On the wedding day, Juliet is found in her bed, seemingly dead. The general shock is interrupted by Friar Laurence, who insists on bringing Juliet to the family crypt.

Instead of receiving Friar Laurence's letter, Romeo hears of Juliet’s death. Desperate, he buys poison from an apothecary, intending to kill himself beside Juliet.

In the crypt, Paris is guarding Juliet’s grave. When Romeo forces his way in, a duel ensues, and Paris falls. After taking one last look at Juliet, Romeo drinks the poison and dies.

Friar Laurence arrives at the tomb and is horrified to find Romeo dead. When Juliet awakens and sees Romeo, Lawrence is unable to persuade her to flee with him. Left alone, Juliet kills herself with a dagger.

It is only when the remaining family members discover the dead in the crypt that they realise the devastating consequences of their long-standing feud.

Romeo and Juliet – the greatest love story of all time, full of poetry and yet without false sentimentality, already told by Shakespeare with blatant directness – has six people dead at the end. The question arises: How can it be that a story from the day before yesterday is still so relevant today? What bitter testimony does this fact bear to our reality? We are probably not in a position to create an environment in which our children grow up to be peaceful adults, and so conflicts are passed on from generation to generation.

There are Romeo and Juliet, who can only save their love by committing suicide. They simply do not get a chance to grow up peacefully. Four other deaths are victims of this incompatibility of love and social constraints.

Marionettes can tell this story of hate, envy, jealousy and the greatest love in a particularly powerful way, as they – made only of wood and seemingly lifeless – can be the unrestricted canvas for projecting the feelings and thoughts of each individual spectator.