又中又英——feuding families

　　Fans of William Shakespeare will know his play Romeo and Juliet has a tragic plot (storyline). The play, written in the 1590s, has stood the test of time. If something stands the test of time it means it remains popular for a very long time. Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young lovers from feuding families, the Montague and Capulet families. Romeo is a Montague and Juliet a Capulet. A feud is an angry or even violent argument that has lasted a long time between two people, families, or groups. The plot ends tragically when Romeo and Juliet both die.
　　The 1957 Broadway show West Side Story was based on Romeo and Juliet. The show was such a hit (very popular) that theatre groups around the world performed it well after the show ended in Broadway. I saw it in London in 1984. A 1961 movie version of West Side Story won ten Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. I have seen the DVD movie version so many times I have lost count, which means I no longer know how many times I have seen it. Tomorrow, December 10, a 2021 movie version of West Side Story directed by Steven Spielberg will hit the big screen. It has received rave reviews, which means movie critics have given it top scores. I am dying to see it.
　　The big screen means the big screen in a movie theatre, as opposed to television. If you are dying to do something, it means you are very excited about doing it. West Side Story is about two feuding teenaged street gangs in the 1950s in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The movie has extra meaning for me now because I now live in the Upper West Side. One is a Puerto Rican gang, the other a gang of white members. The younger sister of the Puerto Rican gang leader and the former leader of the white gang fall in love. Like Romeo and Juliet, the plot has a tragic ending.
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　　莎士比亚迷都会知道，他的剧作《罗密欧与茱丽叶》有一个悲怆的剧情（plot）。这套于一五九〇年代写成的剧作，能经得起时间的考验（stood the test of time）。若某事stands the test of time，意即它历久不衰，长久以来广受欢迎。《罗密欧与茱丽叶》描述两个年轻恋人的故事，他们来自两个有着世仇的家族（feuding families）：蒙太古与凯普莱特家族。罗密欧来自蒙太古家族，茱丽叶则来自凯普莱特。A feud就是两个人、家庭或族群之间的夙怨、世代结仇又或长期斗争。剧情（plot）最终悲惨地以罗密欧与茱丽叶殉情作结。
　　一九五七年百老汇音乐剧《梦断城西》，就是改编自《罗密欧与茱丽叶》。音乐剧一炮而红（a hit），以至在百老汇公演完结后，多年来仍有世界各地的剧团上演这出剧目。我一九八四年的时候就在伦敦看观赏过。一九六一年《梦断城西》的电影版上映，更荣获十项奥斯卡金像奖，包括最佳电影和最佳导演。我看了电影版的DVD无数遍，次数多得我都已lost count，意即我都数不清我看了多少遍了。明天，即十二月十日，史提芬史匹堡执导的《梦断城西》二〇二一年电影版将会登上大银幕（the big screen）。电影获得rave reviews，意即好评如潮，影评人都热烈赞扬、给予高度评价。我逼不及待想要一看（dying to see it）。
　　The big screen就是戏院的大银幕，是相对于电视荧幕而言。若你是dying to do something，意即你引颈以待、摩拳擦掌想要去做某事。《梦断城西》是关于一九五〇年代，在曼哈顿上西城两个结怨的（feuding）年轻街头帮派。这套电影现在对我来说别具意义，因为我现在就在上西城居住。电影中的两个帮派，一个是波多黎各籍帮派，另一个则是由白人组成的帮派。波多黎各帮派首领的妹妹，与白人帮派的前首领堕入爱河。就像罗密欧与茱丽叶，剧情（plot）有着悲惨的结局。
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中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁