Brutus is suspicious. Cassius is conspiring. Caesar’s days are numbered.
Loved by the people, Caesar’s power is growing- which is dangerous if you live in a world driven by a world driven by ego and idealism. Those that rise too fast must be dealt with. For the good of the country. For the good of those who wish to be rulers themselves.
JULIUS CAESAR is Shakespeare’s political thriller, a masterpiece of intrigue and treachery. We bear witness to the assassination that leads to a life and death struggle for power in the Republic. Citizens mutiny, and the fate of Rome hangs in the balance.
Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Director James Evans’s production is a fierce one. It leaves audiences gasping at how quickly democracy can be overthrown with the play having plenty of contemporary relevance.
The play was fast paced with plenty of action and included of-course Shakespeare’s great way with words. The play was well performed by a very passionate and committed cast. So many of the Bard’s great sayings come from JULIUS CAESAR. Here’s just a few of them. Julius Caesar saying ‘I am as constant as the northern star’ before he fatefully leaves home…”There is a tide in the affairs of men..”…. “Cowards die many times before their death. The valiant never taste of death but once”.
Evans makes an interesting choice to set the interval just at the beginning of one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches, Mark Antony’s ‘friends, Romans, Countrymen’ speech at Caesar’s funeral It is a good choice as the drama just builds from there with Edmondson’s score thundering away in the background. Nate Edmondson’s very dramatic soundscape is one of the main features of the production.
Sara Zwangobani’s performance as Mark Antony impressed greatly. It was a performance of focus and intensity. The scene where she weeps over Caesar’s body, despising the butchers, was deeply affecting.
James Lugton’s portrayal of the misled, noble Brutus “his life was gentle and the elements mixed so well in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world this was a man” was excellent.
Nick Simpson-Deek’s portrayal of ‘he has a mean and hungry look, such men are dangerous’ Cassius was strong. His cunning, untrustworthy qualities were well conveyed. One of the play’s best scenes was when Cassius tries to persuade Brutus to take Antony’s life after Caesar’s death or in the least not to allow Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral but his wishes fatefully fall on deaf ears.
Another stand out scene is a scene where the mob run riot and kill Cinna the Poet, well played well by Jemwel Danao, thinking that he is one of the conspirators. Before they kill him, they do find out that he is not one of the conspirators but kill him anyway because his poetry is bad!
Ghenoa Gela hams it up, for a bit of light relief, a little as conspirator Casca, and also plays the part of Metellus. Maryanne Fonceca plays Brutus’ ill fated wife, Portia. Neveen Hanna plays the soothsayer who famously foretells Caesar’s doom- beware the ides of March- as well as playing Trebonius and Pindarus.
Emily Havea plays Caesar’s wife Calpurnia who unsuccessfully tries to stop Caesar from leaving home on the fateful day. Havea also plays Caesar’s adopted son Octavius who with Antony band together to revenge Caesar’s murder. Russell Smith plays Lucilius, Brutus’ loyal friend and conspirator Decius Cinna.
Anna Tregloan’s set featured a large scaffold which the cast leaped up on and jumped off and also hung banners off. It also featured a large canvas used for one of the play’s other powerful scenes when the assassins wrote Freedom in large letters, fresh with Caesar’s blood.
Tregloan’s costume designs were quirky contemporary.
Verity Hampson’s lighting design was sharp and atmospheric, and the fight scenes were well choreographed and not overdone by Scott Witt.
Recommended. A good night in the theatre, Bell Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR is playing the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House until 25 November, 2018
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com
http://www.bellshakespeare.com.au