Still Star-Crossed – All the World’s a Stage

By: Stacy Miller

How awkward is it talking about your upcoming wedding with the sister of the man you love when that man is asking you to marry another man? Sounds very awkward to me, but Rosaline (Lashana Lynch) does the best she can as she discusses the nuptials with Escalus’ (Sterling Sulieman) sister, Princess Isabella (Medalion Rahimi). Escalus enters. Hello, Awkward…I mean Escalus.  He tells Rosaline that the date of the wedding needs to be moved up in order to keep the peace in Verona.  First you give the bride away (literally) by encouraging Rosaline, the woman YOU love, to marry someone else. Now, you are pushing her to the altar?  Escalus, you really are taking your late father’s words to heart when he said Verona comes first!

Next we see Lord Capulet (Anthony Head) and Lord Montague (Grant Bowler) having their own discussions or should I say negotiations on wedding costs.  And I’m not talking about catering or reception halls.  They are talking about what the bride is worth. The amount of ducats (gold currency) and goats are thrown about.  Escalus wants the gentlemen to come to an agreement and appear that they are friendly so that Verona and the neighboring cities will see that they get along.  Lord Capulet tells Escalus that the architect on the cathedral met with an unfortunately accident and fell (You pushed him Capulet!) to his death so the wedding will have to be held outside in the square instead. Is there like only ONE architect in the entire city of Verona? And since the architect doesn’t actually construct the building can’t the cathedral project continue? But I digress.  Outdoor weddings are nice and even if she doesn’t think so, the bride Rosaline has absolutely no say anyway!

The sisters Capulet talk about their lives. Rosaline has to marry a man she doesn’t love and has to do it publicly with a smile on her face, while Livia (Ebonee Noel) feels she will be a servant her entire life. Rosaline promises she’ll make things better for Livia.  Then, Rosaline receives an invitation to a picnic along with a love sonnet from Benvolio (Wade Briggs).  I didn’t know he was so romantic.  He’s not. Both are from Lord Montague to continue the charade that the couple (Benvolio and Rosaline) are in love.  Love and marriage go together not like a horse and carriage, but like lies and deception.

Meanwhile, the “happy” groom-to-be goes out to “celebrate” his upcoming wedding at a bar.  Benvolio ends up getting into a fight at the drinking establishment. Afterwards, Lord Montague tells Benvolio about the architect’s death and his (Lord Montague) suspicions that Lord Capulet killed the man to keep the debt that he owed secret.  Lord Montague says Benvolio’s marriage is crucial, now more than ever.

On the day of the picnic, Benvolio and Rosaline talk. He tells her that he’s going to make sure they don’t have to marry; he can help her get away and run to a nunnery. Their talk is interrupted by the arrival of Prince Escalus, Princess Isabella and some ambassadors. But when they are once again alone, Rosaline asks Benvolio to help aid her in her getaway.  Benvolio wants to run away with a woman he met at a brothel, but she refuses as she is afraid of what will happen to her if she does and Lord Montague finds out. Verona…the city of fear!

Rosaline is packing and getting ready to make her great escape, but how can see leave her sister Livia there alone? So, Rosaline goes to see her uncle and makes Lord Capulet an offer:  If he will make Livia a lady again, Rosaline will not only go through with the wedding to Benvolio, she’ll even make everyone believe that they are truly in love.  Lord Capulet accepts Rosaline’s offer, but warns her that all bets are off if she’s not totally convincing in her love display. They (Benvolio and Rosaline) must make Verona believe that they are the most romantic couple that ever was. Rosaline and Benvolio will need to show the city that they are the stuff romantic plays are written about; like a couple that would drink poison and die rather than live without each other (my words, not his). Later, Rosaline tells Livia about her deal with Lord Capulet. Livia hates the idea that her sister is willing to sacrifice her life for her (Livia). Hey Livia, that’s what good sisters do.

You know what happens when you push a man off a building to his death?  Your guilt doesn’t let you forget your murderous action and haunts you by causing you to relive it again and again. Such is the case with Lord Capulet. He’s tortured by killing the architect that he can’t forget it.  But that’s not the only thing, Capulet has been seeing and hearing things and believes it to be Juliet’s ghost. He notices that Lady Capulet (Zuleikha Robinson) has created a shrine of sorts for their daughter.  Lady Capulet doesn’t think that her husband cares that Juliet is dead because he’s more interested in the whole wedding business between Benvolio and Rosaline.

Lord Montague speaks with Princess Isabella and tells her that he has decided that he wants to find another architect and continue with the completion of the Capulet cathedral. And because he values her, Lord Montague wants Isabella to be in charge of the project.  Isabella tells Escalus about taking over in building the cathedral. But Escalus is distracted. Although he knows Rosaline marrying Benvolio is good for Verona, the idea of losing her is difficult for Escalus to face.  Isabella reminds Escalus that he must continue to put Verona first because Rosaline is already lost to him.

Meanwhile, helping Count Paris (Torrance Coombs) get better has made Paris and Livia grow closer.  She shares with him how she and the Capulets are related. Even though her uncle took them in, she and her sister Rosaline are still just servants.  Paris tells Livia that he didn’t love Juliet; she was his father’s choice of a bride for him.  Paris says that he prefers to know the woman he loves.  Then, he moves to kiss Livia.  She pulls away and says “I may be a servant, but I am still a Lady.” You tell him Livia!

Escalus is barely able to hide his jealousy when he sees Benvolio and Rosaline acting lovey-dovey.  Rosaline reminds Escalus that he can call off the wedding. The ceremony takes place with Escalus performing a ritual by tying Benvolio and Rosaline’s hands together with cloth. But while the couple is reciting their vows, an archer wearing a mask shoots an arrow and soon a fire starts and then a larger explosion begins. The city erupts in chaos with Escalus dragging Isabella away as she tries to save an injured ambassador. Sadly, the ambassador dies.  Benvolio drags Rosaline off, but she wants to catch the masked archer who turns out to be the man Benvolio got into a fight with at the bar. The man falls to his death off the roof of a building.

As the episode ends, Lord Capulet does in fact see Juliet’s ghost who warns him to “Beware.”