"Before Romeo met Juliet, their families met in Verona. It wasn't love at first sight."
Welcome to the CAPULET series - a sprawling six-part prequel - an epic tale of ambition, passion, sacrifice and the brutal cost of revenge. Long before the tale of tragic love that defined a generation, the Capulet name was forged in the powder keg of 1434 France. Their ancestral saga is not merely a romance, but a high-stakes chronicle of loyalty, heroism, seductions and betrayals that will launch a blood-soaked feud that consumes more than one generation. Two children in Lyon, Armand de Capulet and Ilaria Marchand, are promised at birth. But in a world of shifting power, their union becomes the flashpoint for a conflict that will force them to abandon innocence for the cold, calculated necessities of survival.
Their story is told through the eyes of Marcel Poquelin, a sharp-tongued roguish musician who finds himself the unlikely chronicler of their remarkable rise. Through Marcel's irreverent lens-whose favored exclamations are "Cupid's Balls!" and "Bite my bare ass!"-you'll witness the sometimes elegant, sometimes bawdy, yet often dangerous climb of two innocents, learning to navigate a ruthless elite world of excess. But as the Capulets rise, that world darkens. From the war-torn citadels of France to the hidden, hedonistic depths of Italy, Armand and Ilaria are drawn into a volatile web of faction rivalry, dooming curses and religious fanaticism. And the moment they enter the walls of fair Verona, the might of two mercenary houses (Montecchi and Paris) await them. Both bristle with arrogance, appetites for power and pleasure, and a contempt for any but those of their factions. Both will stop at nothing to have their way in everything. Both see the naïve, newlywed Capulets as easy prey.
Yet, Armand and Ilaria's greatest enemy may be fate itself. Gifted with terrifying, accurate premonitions, Ilaria finds herself guided along their path by a succession of mystics, offering windows and warnings to what lies ahead. Every vision is heeded, every disaster confronted - until the warning of a final, catastrophic vision becomes lost in a swirl of erupting events. As the series evolves, from the vibrant ambitions of their youth, into the haunting sacrifices of their adulthood together, Ilaria and Armand (with their irreverent shadow Marcel) must confront a brutal truth which emerges: the harder they fight to change their future, the tighter the grip of destiny becomes.
CAPULET is the genesis of a time-honored tale told for the modern reader: elegant and poetic at times but also filled with grit and humour, through encounters that are often raw, provocative and relentlessly human. 1 fated pair. 3 mighty factions. 1 burning question: How did Romeo and Juliet's families come to be at each other's throats? But who among them will pay the ultimate sacrifice to make it so? As the seductions mount and body counts rise, every dark question is answered.
Book 5 - Retribution. The epic prequel continues. One day after the extraordinary events of the foot race festival, one year after the Montecchi primo don's death (from the duel against Armand de Capulet) the blood feud finally explodes onto the streets of Verona. The body count rises. Two are dead. Many on the Montecchi side (Romeo's family) are suspected. In a dangerous game of cat and mouse, one potential target is smuggled out of Verona. But with a son now born to both sides (Romeo and Thibault) the factions meet to negotiate peace as a Montecchi rebel (their fallen prima donna Esmeralda) schemes to destroy any hope for it.
About the Author :
I conceived this project in Boston during the summer of '92 when I was producing my first Shakespeare (Romeo & Juliet). It was staged at the Huntington Theatre Studio and sold out before we opened. That was when the notion of a prequel was born that would reveal how the famous families came to be at each other's throats and how the associations between so many characters were first formed. From the very start (long before 'Game of Thrones' existed) it was also conceived as a tale of how the three (not just two) formidable players from the original tale (Capulet, Montecchi & Paris) would become embroiled in a battle for dominance. I also knew at some point, as the source material suggests, that an alliance between two must also be on the cards.Started at the end of the pandemic, the full story frame for CAPULET (all 6 books) was written over 4 years (writing 7 hours a day / 7 days a week - give or take just 5 or 6 days) and almost exclusively at Brisbane Square Library in Australia. The finishing process of polishing and proofing all (completed part-time after my nest egg for funding had finally been exhausted) took me another year.And so ... it was done.For the trivial record, my first experience performing was in the primary school choir which led me to playing the guitar and a life long association with music. My first experience with Shakespeare however was as a punishment in my last year of high school. I was given 'detention' for fighting (a bully was harassing a friend and though I'm no hero I intervened). The English Mistress had caught us locked together in (less than mortal) combat and during my detention 'made me' memorize the 'quality of mercy' monologue from The Merchant of Venice. It had to be 'word perfect' to avoid another stay. I recited it. She told me it wasn't word perfect, but said I was 'good' and would 'let me off' if I agreed to audition for the play. I was shy, but didn't want another detention, so I did audition and miraculously offered the lead.That led me to a BA in Drama at the University of Queensland. UQ led to a BFA in Acting at Cornish College in the USA which led to specialized study at the National Shakespeare Conservatory in NY (closed after 9/11) and finally an MFA in Directing at Boston University. Along the way I practised equestrian skills, martial arts and ballet (classical & jazz), became a professional fight choreographer and specialised in directing classics. Within a year of returning to Australia I founded the Society of Australian Fight Directors and the Australian Performing Arts Conservatory. Fast forward 25 years and I embarked upon this project.I hope their tale moves you. I found CAPULET very moving to write.Forever YoursMarcus Hogan
Review :
'I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of Book 1 - Fate. I've already ordered Book 2 - Verona and can't wait to see how the series unfolds.'
Samantha M.I'm already reading Book 3 of CAPULET. I find Marcus Hogan's style to be poetic and fluid, the actions and characters drew me into their story immediately. I can easily imagine the scenes in every chapter translating to the screen. I enjoyed the contrast of characters in Book 1, the emotions of a young Ilaria in love, the responsibilities of Armand, destined for war with great familial expectations, and the bold cheeky 'Fool' Marcel who narrates their journey. I particularly like the sense of intrigue woven in with Ilaria's dark premonitions and unexpected encounters with mystics. This is a drama-filled read, full of wonderful dialogue which I would highly recommend to any reader. I feel men and women would both enjoy it.Cassandra A.What a ripping read so far. I had little expectation diving into Book 1 but was greatly surprised and am onto Book 3. It's funny and adventurous. Marcel is a hoot. And the scenes leap to life like it was playing on a big screen. The language is stylised but easy to read and follow, not like trying to handle Shakespeare in High School at all. My thumbs are up for Books 1 2 and 3. Can't wait for 4.
Gary H.
