People gather to watch the Stratford glockenspiel perform Romeo and Juliet. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Stratford's star-crossed lovers are back performing once again.
Two week's after the Taranaki town's much-loved Glockenspiel fell silent, Romeo and Juliet are once again emerging on the clock tower balcony, to reaffirm their vows of love, four times a day.
In announcing their return, the council posed the Bard's aged-old question on its Facebook page:
"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
"Well, Romeo and Juliet are back and once again performing beautifully!"
The council told RNZ part of the mechanical workings had become worn, resulting in the problem.
"As with any clock, particularly one that has life-sized characters reciting Shakespeare, the glockenspiel's mechanism is complex.
"The repairs were completed by local engineers and electricians."
The revered glockenspiel has stood proud in Stratford's main street, Broadway, since it officially opened in 1996 and usually performs for about five minutes, after the hour chimes at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 7pm.
Scenes from Romeo and Juliet are played out by wooden figures in Stratford's glockenspiel clock tower four times a day. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
It stopped working over the weekend of 27-28 April, with the council again taking to Facebook to make the announcement.
"Alas, the glockenspiel's performance of Romeo and Juliet is not working at the moment, but we're doing everything we can behind the scenes to get our "star-crossed lovers" back in action."
A later update indicated help was at hand.
"We're still tinkering with the clock tower to get it back to business. You might see Romeo and Juliet perform but please don't trust the time, it's running a tad fast!"
One Facebook commentator noting the glockenspiel was back in action was ambivalent to say the least.
"We do love it as people are looking at it while on the pedestrian crossing and traffic backs up in town as no-one knows who is crossing or just looking at the glockenspiel. We need traffic lights there to make it safer for everyone."
Stratford is the sister city of Stratford Upon Avon, in the United Kingdom, which is the birthplace of Shakespeare.
The life-size figures of Romeo and Juliet were created by Nigel Ogel, owner/curator of Tawhiti Museum, near Hāwera.
The council thanked everyone involved in the repair.