Our Expedition

As part of C28’s 10.3 expedition, ‘What’s love got to do with it’, students built on their knowledge of literature by studying the full text of Romeo and Juliet, developing detailed timelines, character studies, and close textual analysis. Students in C28 created a series of freezeframes to capture the play’s most important moments. 

This drama strategy encourages pupils to focus on body language, symbolism, and staging to express meaning without words, helping them to embed key details of plot, character, and theme. By physically embodying the text, students deepen their understanding of Shakespeare’s language and ideas, while also improving recall and revision skills. Freezeframes are particularly valuable in the classroom because they make abstract ideas more concrete and allow students to explore different interpretations of characters and relationships in a collaborative, creative way.

Act 1

In Verona, a feud between the Montagues and Capulets fuels public brawls. Romeo Montague is lovesick over Rosaline until he sneaks into a Capulet party and meets Juliet, Lord Capulet’s daughter. They instantly fall in love, unaware at first that their families are sworn enemies. Despite this, they vow to see each other again.

Act 2

Romeo secretly visits Juliet’s garden that night, and the two confess their love in the famous balcony scene. With the help of Friar Laurence, who hopes their union might end the feud, they are secretly married the next day. Meanwhile, Juliet’s Nurse acts as the go-between for the young lovers.

Act 3

Tensions flare when Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, kills Romeo’s friend Mercutio. In revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona by Prince Escalus. Juliet is devastated by both her cousin’s death and Romeo’s exile. The lovers spend one last night together before Romeo flees to Mantua, and Juliet’s parents, unaware of her marriage, arrange for her to wed Paris.

Act 4

Desperate to avoid marrying Paris, Juliet turns to Friar Laurence, who gives her a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. The plan is for her to be laid in the Capulet tomb, then awaken and escape with Romeo. Juliet drinks the potion, and her family, believing her dead, prepares her funeral.

Act 5

Romeo, not knowing of the Friar’s plan, hears that Juliet has died and returns to Verona. He buys poison, goes to her tomb, and kills himself beside her body. When Juliet awakens and finds Romeo dead, she stabs herself with his dagger. Their deaths finally reconcile the Montagues and Capulets, ending the feud but at a terrible cost.