The British Council celebrated 399 years since English playwright William Shakespeare died by screening an adapted version of the classic Romeo and Juliet, on Thursday at the University of Rwanda-College of Education (formerly Kigali Institute of Education (KIE))

The British Council plans to run a year-long programme, where students and teachers, will come together to celebrate the legacy and works of the greatest English poet, playwright and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.

"We wanted to bring something that was iconic, and Romeo and Juliet is a famous play. Even if you don’t know Shakespeare you’ve heard of Romeo and Juliet,” Sheilagh Neilson, the British Council Rwanda country director said.

Romeo and Juliet

This is a 1996 version starring Leonardo Dicarprio and Claire Danes. It is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career, about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families.

It was among Shakespeare’s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

Speaking after the movie screening, Théogène Uwiringiyimana, a drama student at the College said, "It was a nice movie. Some of the words were challenging in that old Shakespeare English like "thee” in place of "you” but I could follow the story. I’m looking forward to the other activities.”