Verona Street
Scene 1:
The film begins with an extreme close-up of a dingy sign of 'Verona Street' beneath is an old chip wrapper with a few old chip still inside. It then pans out to reveal a wet and grey morning in Bristol – Verona Street. There is no-one about and you can only hear the water running off the worn buildings. There is no music. There are two shops in the street – facing one another. On the right is a fish and chip shop called 'Capps's Cod - fish and chip restaurant.' And the other blazes the title 'Monty's Plaice – Fish and Chip take – away'. We then Turn the camera towards 'Capps Cod' and focus in on a girl in a small night gown sitting on the window sill staring out into the poring rain. She is tall, but not thin and has golden fair hair down to her shoulders. She is writing something on her notepad she says it aloud. The camera goes past her into the room and we see what is written there;
Juliet: (drawing an elaborate outfit design on a notepad) Juliet stands up and lets her book falls to the floor she looks out at the rain, and is silent for a moment. Then a screeching voice sounds from outside Juliet's door: –
Mrs Capulet: (shouting through the door) JULIET!!!! JULIET!!!! WHY ARE YOU NOT DOWN HERE ALREADY????
Juliet :( under her breath) Damm! Back to the real world! (Louder) Yesh! Mum I'm coming!
Mrs C: YOU'D BETTER COME!!!! I WANT ALL OF YOUR JOBS YOU SAID YOU'D DO IN THE WEEK DONE TODAY! AND I WANT YOU TO HELP CUTIO CLEAN OUT THE FRIERS!!!!
Juliet: Oh? What? Now? FINE (eyes roll)
Mrs C: (normal voice) and sweetie I want you to try on an outfit for this evening…. (Juliet opens the door in her mother's perfectly made-up face with rollers still in place)
Juliet: Mum we've been over this; I'm not going to wear a play boy bunny outfit! I'm not a bloody prostitute!
Mrs C: I don't want you to – it's only a normal dress! And you know how important this party is! 50 years the Capulet's have run this place – a fish and chip restaurant! If it weren't for the Montague's we'd be living in a bloody mansion not St Paul's in bloody Bristol!
Juliet: I know mum! (Rolls eyes)
Mrs C: And this party will show off our new menu! I want everything to be PERFECT! The Montague's have been stopping us from getting all the business this past month! A boost of our restaurant to the press and advertisement companies is THE perfect thing! (Mrs C twists around her pink kimono swishing with her as her eyes light up) And I've ordered body guards – so no Montague party crashers- and entertainment and plenty of the 'right' people! Julie please we need you on the catering team! You do it every weekend night anyway!
Juliet: Mum honestly! Show me the dress and I'll think about it ok?
Mrs C: Thank you darling! And guess who will be there?
Juliet: The queen of Sheba? (With a sarcastic smile)
Mrs C: NO! Paris – the man that came yesterday you know, he really likes you Jules!
Juliet :( Shouts) Mum that's the nickname Namy gave me - you can't say it and Paris is 25 and I'm only just 16 he's gross besides.
Mrs C: Whatever sweetie, this party is going to be fantastic! And here is your outfit (Mrs C hands over a dress in a plastic bag then walks down the stairs as she nears the bottom Juliet looks through her package and shrieks)
Juliet: MUMMMMM! This is a maid's outfit! And when since was it a fancy dress party or am I just tart of the night?
Mrs C: You've agreed to it now! (And she raucously laughs) And I want your eyes to be seen – it's the only nice-ish part of your body! (Mrs C continues down the stairs and Juliet sighs sadly and looks at her reflection – her face is oval shaped and she has sparkling green eyes with golden shoulder length hair)
Juliet: (talking to her reflection) I'm going to look like a prostitute.
Scene 2:
Outside -Verona Street. A chip wrapper floats eerily across the street. Then the sound of loud thumping music comes and a loud roar of engines. A mob of motorbikes roars down the road. They stop and a tall man at the front in full leathers takes off his helmet and sneers up at the Montague's shop. He walks over to the window and picks up a brick at his feet and throws it at the window with a loud shout of malice:
Tybalt: Take this you little asses!
He walks back to his bike as the glass shatters in the street. A boy of about 16 walks out of the shop door. He is tall with light brown hair and velvet green eyes, wearing an apron over a shirt and black jeans. He shouts at Tibalt:
Romeo: Hey! Get back here… (He falters when he realises its Tybalt)
Tybalt: (turning around) yeah? And what are you gonna do about it Monty? (Tybalt walks across to Romeo and spits in his face) Go tell your mammy and daddy? (Laughs loudly before slapping the hand of one of the motorcyclists)
Romeo: No. (Calmly) You think you're so smart Cap… (Is interrupted by Ben – Romeo's cousin who had herd the commotion and followed the sound – Ben moves between them and says ;)
Ben: Now guys, come on lets break this up Tybalt – What would you do if I told MY Daddy who happens to be a policemen? I could tell him about what you've REALLY got growing in your greenhouse! (Mercutio is skateboarding down the street – his black skin glistens with glitter and he is wearing a bright jacket and jeans) and sees the bikers, he shouts :)
Mercutio: Tybalt! save that for later you pisshead! (He then gives Romeo a hearty wink and skates down the street with the bikers jumping on their bikes after him)
Romeo: He shouldn't have done that.
Ben: Yeah but he did right? And they don't know the basement shortcut anyway – he'll be fine! He always is.
(Romeo shrugs and goes inside 'Monty's Plaice', glancing at the 'Cap's Cod' along the way. Ben follows him inside)
Scene 3:
Juliet is getting ready for the party, and listening to some music on her record player (music from the time only) she is wearing the outfit her mother gave her- it is very short- but she is wearing stripy leggings, and a black vest underneath and high tops and large socks with it. She has also curled her hair and applied bright red lipstick and mascara. She begins to dance around her room to the music. Then Naomi (Namy one of the waitresses at the restaurant and Juliet's best friend) comes in wearing dungarees and a spotty shirt and some glitter on her dark skin joins in then stops and turns the music off:
Namy: You look amazing! Honestly Jules! WOW!
Juliet smiles and shyly pats her hair in place. Suddenly the chorus of the song comes on and Naomi grabs Juliet's hand and swings her around, laughing.
Scene 4:
The Capulet's restaurant is transformed. All of the cheap-and-grotty-old tables have been pushed aside and a disco ball has been rigged up on the ceiling. There is a buffet of punch and various soft drinks that will undoubtedly be not-so-soft by the end of the evening. A stage has been set up with various instruments. Capulet walks into the middle of the floor and looks at a ridiculously fake gold watch. It is 8:00 pm. He looks expectantly at the body guards at the door they give him the thumbs up. Everything is ready. Capulet stands expectantly. He then looks at his watch. At precisely 8:01 the doors are thrown open, the band walks on and picks up their instruments, and Tybalt spikes the punch. The party has begun.