| Julius Caesar |
by William Shakespeare19 - 28 March 2009
In an era when the relative values of republicanism and monarchism are regularly debated, what better play to stage than Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. What a fantastic story - Eastenders eat your heart out! An Emperor ( would be monarch? ) is plotted against by a group of conspiring senators, who cajole his close friend into joining their ranks. Their aim is clear - to assassinate the Emperor - but their motives are less so. Is the act for Rome or for their own purposes? This productionwill be a hard hitting, powerful version of the play, which will be true to Shakespeare but which a contemporary audience will be able to relate to. Remember "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears", "Et tu Brute", and "Beware the Ides of March"? Well this is the play! Don't miss it, and if you've ever thought " I can't do Shakespeare" - stop thinking it now!
Cast
Croydon Advertiser Review23 March 2009 Theo Spring Just to gather sufficient male cast members to put on one of Shakespeare's more demanding plays was a feather in director John Harris-Rees's cap but to go on to present such a good production is down to his expertise and the talent of his cast. Tony Dent must also take a bow for his carefully thought-out set with its Roman pillars, forum-like centre piece and clever use of the theatre's revolve. Costumes are vital for this drama and a large team dressed the cast elegantly and aptly with togas, leather breast plates and those all important sandals conjuring up life in Roman times. The large cast peopled the many characters involved in the plotting or effects of Caesar's death by his stabbing on the Ides of March. Of these, David Kay and Jeremy Taylor shouldered the major roles as Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius. Their discussion on their dissatisfaction with Caesar's ambitions, his popularity with the people and his audacity in thinking he might become King contrasted wonderfully with their fierce argument in Act II. Particularly Cassius, but both made good deaths as the tale drew to its close, littering the stage with dead bodies. To Caesar's close acolyte Mark Anthony fell the much recited Friends Romans and Countrymen speech which John Tough delivered with real understanding – the cherry on an erudite performance. The appearance of Michael Pilch as the soothsayer foretelling 'beware the Ides of March' brought him onto a stage which owes so much to his foresight in helping to establish the Miller Centre theatre which was, originally, an old school. As Caesar himself, Lawrence Marsh commanded attention both from his Roman followers and the audience, dying centre stage after the knife blows delivered by many hands so that no one person could be held responsible. Ladies are few in this drama but Jane Monaghan portrayed her concern for husband Brutus as his wife Portia and three young ladies turned into biddable youths, although some of their speech was hard to hear. The production played to an appreciative audience on the night I attended who not only enjoyed the drama but admired the theatrical skills of all involved. Theo Spring |
