A cat crashed Romeo's death scene on a live stage. Even Shakespeare couldn't have written this

When William Shakespeare wrote the script for Romeo and Juliet, he probably intended to convey a story about forbidden love through the two characters in love. But even his creativity couldn’t match what a clever candidate has improvised in a replay of the act. Thanks to this candidate, the June 12 video of the play is making rounds on social media. The act was performed by Brazilian dancer Pedro Seara (@pedro_seara) and Russian ballerina Tatyana Borger (@lara.korss), who portrayed Romeo and Juliet, respectively. The uninvited performer, an orange cat, snuck onto the stage during the climactic segment and tweaked the poignant story with a sprinkle of lighthearted, realistic comedy.

Unlikely guest in the theatre

The act was organized by the Imperial Russian Ballet Company and was being enacted at the Bornova Open-Air Theatre in Izmir, Turkey. In the scene, Romeo was lying dead in the tombstone, among a smattering of glowing white candles, while Juliet was crying, seeing his dead body. When she stood up with his dagger and walked away, the ginger cat took centre stage and started pawing at Romeo’s hair, at times aggressively biting his head as if nibbling on the "dead" body. The performers remained undistracted by the creature. Soon enough, Juliet came along and dragged Romeo’s body.

The kitty quickly leaped and jumped atop a stool kept on the stage. While Juliet embraced and mourned for her lover, the cat took the side stage and enjoyed the performance. The dramatic moment prompted giggles and laughs from backstage.

Unscripted remake

The unlikely arrival of this kitty was probably not a coincidence, given that in Turkey, cats wander freely as cherished citizens and are worshipped as goddesses of Islam, per High Brow magazine. According to a study published in the World Leisure Journal, there is a population of nearly 500,000 free-roaming stray cats and dogs in the country. The presence of these animals is regarded as more positive than negative. This cat likely became an unscripted part of the live stage performance because the venue was an open-air theatre, where it was easier for it to slip inside.

And the award goes to...the cat!

People have become fans of this cat, who presented a remixed version of the popular medieval story. @Mikaylatheonly said, “They should always have cats on stage.” @paraelisa31 remarked, “It's the Romeo, Juliet and the Cat version.” @hakeemkamal_ joked, “Cat is literally a paid actor!” Actor or not, the cat surely made this performance more memorable than it would have been without its presence.

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