Everyone knows how the tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet plays out, but ever wonder what happened to the characters left behind after their untimely death?Saltus students will be exploring just that on Friday and Saturday night in ‘After Juliet’ by Scottish playwright Sharman Macdonald.The story is set in the present day and focuses on Juliet’s cousin and Romeo’s ex-lover Rosaline, played by Skye Kermode. It tells of what happened to the Montagues and Capulets after the star-crossed lovers die and the two sides seem to become polarised once more.A need for revenge leads to violence and it falls to the young people to decide whether the cycle will continue.Director Sara Kelly said she selected the play for local students after performing it more than a decade ago herself as part of a UK youth theatre competition, National Theatre Connections.“I thought it was a really imaginative take on what happens in the play with the characters after Romeo and Juliet die,” she said.“The writer has been very clever because she mirrors Romeo and Juliet. There’s still conflict and the Montagues and Capulets are still at war with each other, but we have three young people on their own paths despite the good advice given to them by friends and family.“So we have this idea of the individual versus doing what friends and family want.”Her students were also interested in finding out about life for the remaining characters after the popular Shakespeare tale ends.William Finnerty, who plays the instigator Valentine, said he was surprised that ‘After Juliet’ wasn’t more well-known.Marcus Smith, who plays Romeo’s dead corpse, said: “It doesn’t even dawn on you that there are other characters besides Romeo and Juliet until you read this play.”Though he is used to starring in school productions, Mr Smith said he got to take a back seat this time around and act as an observer.He said: “I didn’t really have a speaking role so I just had the chance to see the play as a whole and I was really impressed. I didn’t know Skye was such a great actress and the chemistry between her and Benvolio is really great.“The first time I saw everything I thought ‘This is amazing’. The whole performance was a surprise.”Some minor adaptations had to be made to the play.Chorus member Sekou Henrickson told The Royal Gazette: “We had to cut out bits and pieces of it to make it child-friendly because we are performing for students in high school and couldn’t make it too graphic.”Still, they tried to keep the story as believable as possible.Ryan Spencer-Arscott, who plays Benvolio, said using real fencing swords made it easier to get the emotions right in violent scenes.Ms Kelly stressed that safety was a big factor in choreographing the play and during rehearsals.“The students are completely in control and every step and move is choreographed, but the trick is to make it look chaotic and out of control,” she said.Skye, who usually performs with the chorus, said it was challenging transitioning to centre stage.“There’s a lot of lines and you have to focus on a lot of things all at once, but it’s a really good experience because sometimes afterwards people come up to you and say ‘You did very well’.“I like playing this character because she says exactly what she wants.”Ms Kelly said the play uses contemporary language and costumes.“We want people to think of how these themes relate to now, so they won’t see men in tights with frilly collars.”That it was set in modern times made it easier to memorise lines, Ryan said.The young people said the play’s themes can teach audience members a little something about life in general.Said Marcus: “It teaches you that being angry takes you nowhere.“All the characters end up back at square one learning how revenge for death just ends up bringing you back to more death.”‘After Juliet’ will show at The Berkeley Institute both nights at 7pm. Book tickets, $20 for adults and $10 for students, on 292-6177.