Disclaimer: At this point I don't think I even own my disclaimer. Of course, to avoid any legal proceedings, I'll just let you in on a little secret, the characters of the Pretender are NOT mine, capitalized, underlined, bolded and italicized for emphasis. Also, given the title of this little fic, the storyline isn't mine either. However, Shakespeare's work is public domain, as far as I know, so I can't get sued for copying the plights of his characters nor the circumstances in which they occur. Anyway, my copy of the play is the paperback Signet Classic version, so, if anything about the play is written wrong, it's their fault…please don't sue me or send the Shakespeare Society after me…
Summary: Based on the title, you already know how this is going to end, but you can come along for the ride if you like. Jarod and Ms. Parker live the storyline of Romeo and Juliet. In play format, with rewritten dialogue, iambic pentameter, and several of Shakespeare's original lines. Act 1 Scene 2-Paris' Proposition/Invitation to the Capulets'.
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
By Bec-Bec and William Shakespeare (Love ya Will!)
[Dramatis Personae {Cast in order of appearance}
Ben as Chorus
Willie as Samson, servant to Capulet & the Clown (Act 1 Scene 2) & Nurse (Act 1 Scene 3) & Second Servingman (Act 1 Scene 5 & Act 4 Scene 2) & Second Fellow (Act 4 Scene 4) & Second Musician (Act 4 Scene 5) & Second Watchman (Act 5 Scene 3)
Sam as Gregory, Servant to Capulet & Third Servingman (Act 1 Scene 5) & Servingmen (Act 4 Scene 2) & First Fellow (Act 4 Scene 4) & First Musician (Act 4 Scene 5) & Third Watchman (Act 5 Scene 3)
Argyle as Abram, servant to Montague & a Masker (Act 1 Scene 4) & Men (Act 3 Scene 1)
Gemini as Balthasar, servant to Romeo & Servant (Act 1 Scene 2) & a Masker (Act 1 Scene 4) & a Servingman (Act 1 Scene 5) & Men (Act 3 Scene 1) & Page (Act 3 Scene 1)
Timmy (Angelo) as Benvolio, nephew of Montague and friend to Romeo
Mr. Lyle as Tybalt, nephew of Lady Capulet
A Police Officer as Police Officer
Citizens as Citizens of Verona & Maskers and Torchbearers (Act 1 Scene 4)
Mr. Parker as Capulet
Brigitte as Lady Capulet, wife to Capulet
Major Charles as Montague
Margaret as Lady Montague, wife to Montague
Member of the Triumvirate as Escalus, Prince of Verona
Jarod as Romeo, son of Montague
Thomas as Paris, a young count, kinsman to the Prince
Ms. Parker as Juliet, daughter of Capulet
Sydney as Nurse to Juliet & Friar Lawrence
Ethan as Mercutio, kinsmen to Prince and friend to Romeo
Gar ("Bloodlines") as First Servingman (Act 1 Scene 5) & Citizen (Act 3 Scene 1) & Third Musician (Act 4 Scene 5)
Centre Employees as Guests and Gentlewoman
Mr. Raines as Second Capulet (Act 1 Scene 5) & An Apothecary
Broots as Peter, servant to Juliet's Nurse & Nurse (Act 3 Scenes 2 & 3 & Act 4 Scene 5) & Page (Act 5 Scene 3) & Chief Watchman (Act 5 Scene 3)
Sweepers as Train & Fellows & Musicians & Watchmen & Attendants
Father Moore ("At the Hour of Our Death") as Friar John
Scene: Verona {Blue Cove}; Mantua {Dover}]
Chapter 2
[Scene 2. A street.{Mr. Parker's office at the Centre}.]
Enter Capulet, County Paris, and the Clown, [his servant]{Mr. Parker and Willie}.
Mr. Parker. But Jarod's held under their grip as well.
In penalty worse; and 'tis not hard, I think
For men so wise as we to capture him.
Willie. Of honorable repute are the Centre's men,
And pity 'tis we have not captured him yet. {Enter Thomas}. 5
Thomas. But now, my sir, what say you to my suit?
Mr. Parker. But saying o'er what I have said before:
My daughter still is bound here by her work
She hath not finished, I will need her still;
Let two more summers whither in their pride 10
Ere she may finish, thence she may depart.
Thomas. Quicker than summer will she want to leave.
Mr. Parker. And too soon leaving will her danger prove.
My children have been taken, all but she;
She is the hopeful lady of my earth. 15
But woo her, gentle Thomas, get her heart;
Your love has my consent. Convince her stay
And she agreed, will her safety keep, to leave
With my consent come summer's time next year.
This night I hold an old accustomed feast 20
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I know; and you among the crowd
One more, most welcome, makes my party more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Many a fair and lovely lady's sight. 25
Such beauty as a young man can but love
And chance may bring thee ladies fairer far
Than my less lovely daughter's own fair sight
Whereby thou might set sights upon another
Such fair and lovely maiden. Woo one more 30
For amusement and thus thou might, in my
Fair daughter's beloved place, allow this girl
To take thy gentle heart and bring thee love
That my stoic and detached daughter keeps
Thee far from having.[To servant, giving him a paper {Giving an order to Willie}].
Willie spread the news 35
Throughout the Centre; find those persons out
Whose names are written here and bid them come.
Exit [with Paris{with Thomas}].
Willie. Thy sir Mr. Parker bids me find these persons out. 'Tis odd, I think that Mr. Raines should be excluded from this list. Perhaps this is a mistake, or more likely, Mr. Raines is being kept from meddling in Sir Parker's work. Well, I'll not be made to pay the price of this exclusion, Mr. Raines shall hear of the festivities from me and Mr. Parker will receive whatever rage Mr. Raines shall feel. I've not the time to run this all around. A message on the database shall serve the purpose easier. {Exit Willie}. 40
Enter Benvolio and Romeo {Timmy and Jarod exit the air ducts in Mr. Parker's office. Gemini follows and goes immediately to the computer while Timmy and Jarod investigate other things within the office.}
Timmy. Tut, Jarod, one fire burns out another flame;
One pain is lessened by another's anguish;
Turn far from love that brings thee pain so deep;
One desperate grief cured with another's far worse.
Take thou some torment worse in depth to hold 45
And pains caused by the first will end, compared.
Jarod. Your sympathy is gracious but unfounded.
Timmy. Why for, I ask?
Jarod.
Thou knowest not of love!
Timmy. Why, Jarod, art thou mad?
Jarod. Not mad, but bound more than a madman is; 50
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipped and tormented and- Gem'ni what found you?
Gemini. I discovered plans, a feast to be held at Sir Parker's this very night
Jarod. Ay, Sir Parker holds a feast every year.
Gemini. Perhaps you can make more sense of the memo than I. 'Tis difficult to decrypt it. But I ask, can you decipher it? 55
Jarod. Ay, if I know the code, I may decrypt.
Gemini. Ye speak honestly. Thou knowest far more than I. Someday, will you teach me?
Jarod. Yes Gem'ni; I will teach you. He decrypts the message
"The noble Sydney, {Aside to Gemini} my teacher always;
The Triumvirate and their fearsome sweepers; 60
Sir Thomas Gates, {Aside to Gemini} still my dear old friend;
Sir Lyle, {Aside to Gemini} his son and my tormenter;
The Lady Brigitte, {Aside to Gemini} his young corrupt wife;
The fair and yet brave and strong Miss Parker…"
And ten or twenty others-not important. 65
'Tis quite a fair assembly planned tonight.
He holds such gath'rings rarely at his home.
A fine and lovely night they might enjoy.
Gemini. It seems so.
Jarod. What time shall dinner proceed? 70
Gemini. By the hour of nine.
Jarod. I see it says so here.
Gemini. Canst thou teach me to decrypt these files faster now?
Jarod. Indeed I should have offered that before.
Gemini. Thou offered to teach me but not at this time. I'd be much obliged if you would do so now. I wonder, sir, shall you go to the Parkers' this eve? 'Tis quite often that thou interrupts their lives, shall this occasion serve the same? I see I ask too many questions. Thou dost not have to answer. [Exit{Gemini crawls back into the air vent}.] 75
Timmy. At this accustomed feast of Sir Parker's
Comes the fair Miss Parker whom thou so loves;
With all the beauties Sir Parker speaks of. 80
Go thither and with an impartial eye
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee learn to see others..
Jarod. When I shall turn my eyes upon another
It would maintain such falsehood as it should; 85
And this it would. There's not one fairer seen.
Ay, those that feel others are fairer lie.
One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world began.
Timmy. Tut! You saw her fair without others by, 90
Herself alone to fill thy eyes' full view;
But in that view let there be seen another.
Come hold your lady's love against others
That I will show you shining at the feast,
And she will not seem fair that now is so. 95
Jarod. I'll go along, no such sight to be shown,
But to revel in splendor of my love. [Exuent{They climb back into the air ducts and leave the Centre}.]
Author's Note: I've been considering Sauron 764's idea that I use one of Shakespeare's brighter plays. While I must admit that iambic pentameter becomes addictive (I've found myself marking stressed and unstressed syllables on flyers and pamphlets out of boredom) trying one of the other plays would be pretty difficult. There's a major casting problem if I use a Midsummer Night's Dream…not that I haven't creatively worked through casting problems already. If anybody has ideas I'd love to hear them, tragedy isn't my favourite (semi-conscious use of British spelling) either. Thanks for reading. Love Ya!