“Parting is such sweet sorrow” Juliet says during the famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Now while we just started, the last publication for the 2025-2026 of the Brackety-Ack is upon us. An important question I have is, Montague son or Capulet daughter?
In preparation for summer, I looked back at films that left an impression on me and I kept coming back to the 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, this post-modern city named Verona Beach showcases our favorite Capulets and Montagues as rival gangs. It’s a bold and creative choice to modernize the story as much as possible, but it works because the emotional core stays untouched. DiCaprio plays Romeo with this raw, impulsive sincerity that makes every scene feel urgent. Danes, in comparison, brings a grounded intensity to Juliet that cuts through all the noise. Their chemistry hits fast and hard, almost too big for the world around them.
What really sets this adaptation apart is how it refuses to modernize the language. Shakespeare’s original dialogue crashes into a world full of TV news, beachside shootouts, and glittery 90s fashion. This creates an almost electric yet messy feeling to the viewers, which is exactly the kind of artistic risk that keeps old stories alive.
But beyond the aesthetics, Romeo & Juliet consistently applies to the world around us. Still being taught in high schools, this story shows how quickly conflict spirals without active listening and how easily arguments can arise. The Montagues and Capulets aren’t fighting for a truly meaningful reason; its generational hostility.
It is also a reminder of how intense young love can be. Romeo and Juliet aren’t afraid to feel things fully, they have an emotional honesty that hits different. Where hearing “play it cool” is a norm, their vulnerability feels radical. Their story reminds us that connection requires courage.
Speaking of courage, I encourage you to check out the Theater at Roanoke College’s performance of Romeo and Juliet next weekend! FREE tickets for all Roanoke College students, faculty, and staff. Tickets are $10 for general admission, or $5 for seniors/students. Tickets are available by calling 540-375-2333 or by emailing boxoffice@roanoke.edu.
Sabrina Rogers
Entertainment Editor
