Rómeo and Juliet - Production diary

Day 8

I tried as long as I could, but you can only reherse Romeo and Juliet for so and so long without actually rehersing the role of Juliet.

The problem is just that I cant make any sense of the role like it is now.

I remember asking specifically, clear as a jellyfish, for a blonde haired, blue eyed, master race sort of Juliet. And I was very clear on this. This request was ignored and in stead Im stuck with a brown haired, dark eyed, emotional bomb from East Europe.

And what Im a supposed to do with her. It is much harder to work from ones own imagination than borrowing what has come before, at least get inspired. But until now there is only one sort of Juliet. Juliet is the perfect representative of the sexual fantasy for middle age men, which is fine, but hardly reachable with onorthdox Juliet!

What am I to do?

One has the feeling that se will just eat Romeo alive if he comes near her.

So I used the first day to suggest changes to the role, but her uptake was somewhat missing. They clearly don't teach manners in East Europe (what were they doing during the cold war?) My Juliet has a problem with authority.

Even my Berlin trick does not work. Maybe I should tell her that I read this interpretation by Marx?

Note to self – Ask for Actors pictures before you confirm the cast.

In other news I got invited to a prominent party this night where the good and the rich of this city came together for a quiet evening of soliciting. Even though it was never stated it was obvious that I was the guest of honor. I find it very interesting that the Business life here has such deepseated interest for Theater. Also, that so many of the well-to-do of this city have so beautiful daughters.

or concubines...