GEMMA: I actually didn’t have a problem with that.
ED: It’s been an interesting experience watching different versions of Romeo and Juliet, hasn’t it?
GEMMA: Definitely. It’s made me realise how relevant the play still is.
ED: Right. I mean a lot’s changed since Shakespeare’s time, but in many ways nothing’s changed. There are always disagreements and tension between teenagers and their parents.
GEMMA: Yes, that’s something all young people can relate to – more than the violence and the extreme emotions in the play.
ED: How did you find watching it in translation?
GEMMA: Really interesting. I expected to find it more challenging, but I could follow the story pretty well.
ED: I stopped worrying about not being able to understand all the words and focused on the actors’ expressions. The ending was pretty powerful.
GEMMA: Yes. That somehow intensified the emotion for me.
ED: Did you know Shakespeare’s been translated into more languages than any other writer?
GEMMA: What’s the reason for his international appeal, do you think?
ED: I was reading that it’s because his plays are about basic themes that people everywhere are familiar with.
GEMMA: Yeah, and they can also be understood on different levels. The characters have such depth.
ED: Right – which allows directors to experiment and find new angles.
GEMMA: That’s really important because …