In collaboration with English Theatre Milan actors Simone Buzzi, Giulia Sarah Gibbon, Verlie Ann Jones and Madeline Wolf, director Claudio Favazza and Margaret Rose partnered with students from the University of Milan to stage a compelling courtroom drama in English. This imaginative retelling sees Romeo Montague brought before the court for the murder of Tybalt Capulet. Set in Milan in 2018, the trial is conducted within the framework of Italian juvenile justice.
Drawing its inspiration from the original Italian play “Romeo Montecchi: innocente o colpevole?,” which premiered in 2018 at the “Cesare Beccari” Youth Detention Centre under the direction of Giuseppe Scutellà, the production is a testament to the power of theatre to inspire and engage. The script was written collaboratively by University of Milan students and members of Puntozero, the resident theatre company at Beccaria, as part of a Shakespeare-in-prison workshop curated by Mariacristina Cavecchi, Lisa Mazoni, Maggie Rose and Giuseppe Scutellà. In 2024, English Theatre Milan reimagined the play in English, expanding its reach and amplifying its themes of justice, identity, and moral complexity for a wider audience.
The reading concluded with a thought-provoking discussion chaired by Mariacristina Cavecchi, inviting participants to reflect on the intersections of law, literature, and contemporary social issues.
