Formative Evaluation
The Balcony Scene
In the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, there are many differences from the different versions. One of the major differences from this scene is the modernization of the set. In the version directed by Franco Zeffirelli, this scene takes place at an old English castle with bushes and trees all around. Compared to the 1996 version, the scene takes place at Juliet’s house in the backyard.
The second difference is the way they read their lines. In the first version, the way Romeo confronts Juliet to confess his love for her is a more deep emotional way. In the second version, Romeo speaks in a more modern and less romantic way.
There are also many similarities in this scene as well, for example the kiss that is shared between Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is can be an aggressive person when it comes to confessing his love for the girl of his dreams. He tends to pull Juliet closer so that he can kiss her more. This happens in both versions of the scene.
Another similarity from this scene is how Romeo is hiding in the bushes so that he is not seen by any of Juliet’s family. If he is seen it could be disastrous. He creeps up through the bushes to get closer to Juliet so he can call her name for her to come outside and see him. In both versions Romeo talks to himself to prepare himself to confront Juliet about his love for her.
In my opinion the newer version of the play has been done better than the older one. This