This episode focuses on acts 3-5 of Romeo and Juliet. Our spotlight is on Juliet because, when you read the original play, it’s hard not to think that Juliet DESERVES more of the spotlight than most directors share with her.

Hear about many moments and lines that often don’t make it into productions of the play or feature films. What does that do to our perception of Juliet? Doesn’t it, inevitably, distort her? In Acts 3-5, Juliet lies, shows her strong acting skills, reasons out strategies, longs to have sex with Romeo for about 30 lines, makes jokes (some of them naughty) while in tears and fools her mother, demonstrates clear understanding of theological tenants, and displays masterful rhetorical skills in evading detection with her fiance, Paris. Is this the Juliet you think you’ve seen on stage and screen? If not, you’ll enjoy the inside view this episode offers into the full scope of Juliet’s talents, and you might be tempted to ask this: Is it okay to cut all or most of Juliet’s lines?

Along the way, we talk to daggers, we defend the human rights of drug dealers, and we find out that Juliet actually wakes up to discover THREE dead men around her tomb.

We are using the Yale Press version of Romeo and Juliet, editor Burton Raffel, 2004.

2014 Live Production of Romeo and Juliet starring Condala Rashad as Juliet and Orlando Bloom as Juliet.

Vanessa and Sonja are taking a break this week, but fear not -- there are more subscribers-only episodes on Patreon! Find us at patreon.com/InWalksAWoman

In this second episode in the series, Sonja and Vanessa travel through the play, keeping a sharp eye on Juliet. Is Juliet as demure as many stage performances make her seem? Romeo makes the first move at the party, but by the end of the night, is he the one in charge of the relationship? And let’s really consider what’s said in the famously “romantic” balcony scene…how much of it really fits the term “romantic”? The answers to many of these questions will likely surprise you.

Along the way, we learn about the joys of nursing--including a clever trick for weaning your baby--and we let Mercutio school us on why you hope a fairy, dashing about in an empty hazelnut-shell carriage, does not make her way into your bedroom at night.

We are using the Yale Press version of Romeo and Juliet, editor Burton Raffel, 2004.