Romeo & Juliet is a really great play. I feel like it sort of gets overlooked because it seems like a cliched choice. EEEERRRVERYONE knows the story. Or at least they know the prologue-version (two households, star-crossed lovers, death-marked love, etc. etc.) even if I think way too many people consider it a great love story. I mostly consider it a great story of teenagers behaving stupidly and impulsively and ugh
But rather than focus on the love story at the moment I want to talk about Benvolio and Romeo. Particularly the first time we meet Romeo because Romeo is SOOO WHINY at this point, all madly in love in Rosalind, and overall giving pain-in-the-ass emo answers to Benvolio's question of "Hey, what's up?"I don't know that I've ever seen Benvolio played where he's exasperated with Romeo, but I don't know how this hasn't happened before because just looking at the back and forth I can't help but hear Benvolio's sigh before every response. Here's essentially how I picture the scene:
Benvolio: [Bright and friendly] Good morrow, cousin.
Romeo: [Angsty as only a teen can be] Is the day so young?
B: ::sigh:: But new struck nine.
R: Ay me, sad hours seem long. [Tries to keep up sad face but is actually pretty proud of that answer and makes a mental note to write a poem using that line later.] Was that my father that went hence so fast?
B: [Knows that if he lets Romeo just change the subject that he'll get all angry that no one cared enough to listen to his sadness so he better find out why he's so pissy] It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?
R: [Is glad to see SOMEONE cares about his pain. But to really know he'd better give him some riddle to find out if he really knows him.] Not having that which, having, makes them short.
B: ::louder sigh:: [Better get Romeo's riddle right or he'll wander off and mope again]. In love?
R: [Wonders how it is no one can understand his unique snowflake pain] Out.
B: ::loudest sigh:: Of love?
R: Out of her favor where I am in love. [Obviously]
B: [Of course he's in love again] Alas that love so gentle in his view should be so tyrannous and rough in proof.
R: [Is jealous that Benvolio came up with that and needs to upstage him.] Alas that love whose view is muffled still could without eyes see pathways to his will. Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything of nothing first create! O heavy lightness, serious vanity...
B: ::eyerolls SUPER HARD::
R: ...Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, still-waking sleep that is not what it is! This love feel I that feel no love in this. [Really proud of that that little diddy.] Dost thou not laugh?
B: [Shit] No coz, I rather weep.
R: [Better not be laughing] Good heart, at what?
B: ::scrambles for answer:: At thy good heart's oppression.
Essentially I imagine the two of them like Watson and Sherlock. Except Romeo is definitely no genius.
