What do you think?
Rate this book
Romeo and Julie
A modern love story inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet .
Romeo is a single dad hanging on tight. Julie is fighting to follow her dream of studying at Cambridge.
Two Welsh teens raised a few streets apart – but from entirely different worlds – crash into first love and are knocked off their feet. But at the crossroads to the rest of their lives, Julie's family fears the worst in a world of unequal opportunity.
Following their critically acclaimed productions Iphigenia in Splott and Killology , director Rachel O'Riordan reunites with Gary Owen to deliver his new play. This edition is published to coincide with the premiere at the Dorfman, Royal National Theatre, London, in February 2023.
Romeo is a single dad hanging on tight. Julie is fighting to follow her dream of studying at Cambridge.
Two Welsh teens raised a few streets apart – but from entirely different worlds – crash into first love and are knocked off their feet. But at the crossroads to the rest of their lives, Julie's family fears the worst in a world of unequal opportunity.
Following their critically acclaimed productions Iphigenia in Splott and Killology , director Rachel O'Riordan reunites with Gary Owen to deliver his new play. This edition is published to coincide with the premiere at the Dorfman, Royal National Theatre, London, in February 2023.
- GenresPlays
120 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2023
16 people want to read
About the author
Gary Owen
63 books15 followersGary Owen is a Welsh playwright and screenwriter. His recent plays include Violence and Son which had its premiere at the Royal Court in June 2015, and Iphigenia in Splott for which he won the James Tait Black Prize for Drama.
His other works include Love Steals Us From Loneliness, Crazy Gary's Mobile Disco, The Shadow of a Boy, (winner of Meyer Whitworth and George Devine awards), The Drowned World (winner of Fringe First and Pearson Best Play awards), Ghost City, Cancer Time, SK8, Big Hopes, In the Pipeline, Blackthorn, Mary Twice, Amgen:Broken, Bulletproof, and Free Folk. His adaptations include Spring Awakening and Ring Ring, a new version of La Ronde, for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; and Dickens' A Christmas Carol for Sherman Cymru. He is a Creative Associate at Watford Palace Theatre, where his plays We That Are Left, Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian, and Perfect Match have been produced, and Associate Artist at Sherman Cymru. Gary also co-created and co-wrote two seasons of Baker Boys, an original series for BBC Wales. Work in 2016 includes Jeramee, Hartleby and Oooglemore, a play for toddlers at the Unicorn Theatre, to be directed by Tim Crouch; and Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach, a Welsh adaptation of Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
His other works include Love Steals Us From Loneliness, Crazy Gary's Mobile Disco, The Shadow of a Boy, (winner of Meyer Whitworth and George Devine awards), The Drowned World (winner of Fringe First and Pearson Best Play awards), Ghost City, Cancer Time, SK8, Big Hopes, In the Pipeline, Blackthorn, Mary Twice, Amgen:Broken, Bulletproof, and Free Folk. His adaptations include Spring Awakening and Ring Ring, a new version of La Ronde, for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; and Dickens' A Christmas Carol for Sherman Cymru. He is a Creative Associate at Watford Palace Theatre, where his plays We That Are Left, Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian, and Perfect Match have been produced, and Associate Artist at Sherman Cymru. Gary also co-created and co-wrote two seasons of Baker Boys, an original series for BBC Wales. Work in 2016 includes Jeramee, Hartleby and Oooglemore, a play for toddlers at the Unicorn Theatre, to be directed by Tim Crouch; and Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach, a Welsh adaptation of Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 8, 2024
4 stars from me! Very engaging and well-written dialogue (except for one scene at the end between Romy & Julie’s dad - just felt a bit weak in comparison to the rest). Overall, the writing felt rooted in reality.
Was a bit disappointed by the ending. For some reason it felt rushed and kind of repetitive at the same time.
Kind of wish there was more to Romy’s character? I will have to think on how he could’ve been developed better, as I’m not sure whether it’s that he felt too one dimensional at points or whether it was something else.
Really liked Julie’s story. Related a lot to her struggles and enjoyed the message Gary Owen sends through the lessons she learns (even if it’s slightly undermined by the last scene in my opinion).
Would recommend if you want a cute romance play with great dialogue.
(Safe to say I have mostly gotten over my frustration at reading plays over watching them 😅)
Was a bit disappointed by the ending. For some reason it felt rushed and kind of repetitive at the same time.
Kind of wish there was more to Romy’s character? I will have to think on how he could’ve been developed better, as I’m not sure whether it’s that he felt too one dimensional at points or whether it was something else.
Really liked Julie’s story. Related a lot to her struggles and enjoyed the message Gary Owen sends through the lessons she learns (even if it’s slightly undermined by the last scene in my opinion).
Would recommend if you want a cute romance play with great dialogue.
(Safe to say I have mostly gotten over my frustration at reading plays over watching them 😅)
Read
February 24, 2024A modern low-key take on star-crossed lovers. Interesting!
April 29, 2023
Gary Owen (2023) ROMEO AND JULIE
Cardiff/London. Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury Publishing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "A modern love story inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is a single dad hanging on tight. Julie is fighting to follow her dream of studying at Cambridge. Two Welsh teens raised a few streets apart – but from entirely different worlds – crash into first love and are knocked off their feet. But at the crossroads to the rest of their lives, Julie's family fears the worst in a world of unequal opportunity. Following their critically acclaimed productions Iphigenia in Splott and Killology, director Rachel O'Riordan reunites with Gary Owen to deliver his new play. This edition is published to coincide with the premiere at the Dorfman, Royal National Theatre, London, in February 2023."
=====
This script is incredible!
=====
#GaryOwen #RomeoAndJulie #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads
Cardiff/London. Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury Publishing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "A modern love story inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is a single dad hanging on tight. Julie is fighting to follow her dream of studying at Cambridge. Two Welsh teens raised a few streets apart – but from entirely different worlds – crash into first love and are knocked off their feet. But at the crossroads to the rest of their lives, Julie's family fears the worst in a world of unequal opportunity. Following their critically acclaimed productions Iphigenia in Splott and Killology, director Rachel O'Riordan reunites with Gary Owen to deliver his new play. This edition is published to coincide with the premiere at the Dorfman, Royal National Theatre, London, in February 2023."
=====
This script is incredible!
=====
#GaryOwen #RomeoAndJulie #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads
February 22, 2024
It was okay! Well written, I just felt the storyline was a little cliche…
I don’t know how I was supposed to feel sorry for the lad, I mean he had no job and had to look after his kid… so? Single mums do that all the time, whilst having to battle postpartum issues / depression etc.
I felt the story was almost unnecessary? What did it serve?
Do we really need to hear about how hard life is for a man, from a man, with no detail on the womanly parts of birth or abortion as these were skimmed over… hmm.
I do love Gary’s style of writing though but I prefer other storylines!
I don’t know how I was supposed to feel sorry for the lad, I mean he had no job and had to look after his kid… so? Single mums do that all the time, whilst having to battle postpartum issues / depression etc.
I felt the story was almost unnecessary? What did it serve?
Do we really need to hear about how hard life is for a man, from a man, with no detail on the womanly parts of birth or abortion as these were skimmed over… hmm.
I do love Gary’s style of writing though but I prefer other storylines!
October 22, 2024
A brilliant take on a known classic. Felt represented by the Welsh version of these characters, and felt like they all had gusto. Gary Owen is the goat.
November 8, 2024
in my head she got her degree and they had their little family jesus christ
December 11, 2024
such a good play !! funny and sad, what’s not to like ??? the last scene is just as impactful as the entirety of normal people…
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews