Shakespeare centers Romeo and Juliet on the tension of opposing forces, including the glaring dichotomies of life and death, peace and war, young and old. But Shakespeare also explores the underlying theme of emotional poverty within material wealth. The opulence of the Capulets is evident in the first act, when the stage is continually decorated, between one scene and another, for the family banquet. First, before Juliet's initial appearance in chapter 1.3, long crimson tapestries are unfurled from the gallery to cover the cracked marble of the facade, and the bench is given an ornate cushion and the fountain a decorative cover. Before 1.4, a festive wreath is hung across the gallery and more benches are brought onto the stage. Finally, before the masque begins in 1.5, candelabras with lit candles are brought to the sides of the gallery. Romeo is seen brooding alone on the balcony. His first sighting of Juliet is then staged in a surprising way. Everyone at the party below, except Juliet, suddenly freezes in their movements, ghostly white masks raised to hide their faces, and the stage goes dark except for the spotlight on Romeo and Juliet. The grandeur of the Capulet house is diluted into relative nonexistence as Romeo and Juliet's sudden love comes to life. Shakespeare's stop-motion technique is used once again during the masquerade, again to dramatic effect. After Tybalt's anger at Romeo's intrusion is quelled - by a slap from Capulet - the stage is darkened again and the partygoers are once again frozen. their faces hidden behind masks. Romeo and Juliet speak to each other for the first time, dancing gracefully in an emotionally charred circle at center stage, Romeo dressed in green velvet and Juliet in a splendid...... middle of paper...... David Kortemeier depicts his serious but ineffectual Friar Laurence with dry humor and true passion for Romeo. Shakespeare moves quickly through the closing scenes. It emphasizes the rapidity of events and the multiplication of misfortunes rather than lingering on moments as it did with previous sequences. This approach works well in evoking the swiftness of tragedy, but it robs the work of some of its power. For example, Romeo's dying kiss with Juliet is followed immediately, almost comically, by the entrance of the Friar, well before the tragedy of the double suicide has had a chance to be fully absorbed. Nonetheless this production is an effective drama, thanks largely to directorial skill and a series of rich supporting performances. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Eds. Maynard Mack and Robert Bayton. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1981.