Julius Caesar

Synopsis

Victorious and valiant, yet proud and tyrannical, Julius Caesar is murdered by his closest allies. But the assassination divides Rome and bitter war begins.

Our Review:

21 April 2005

Imagine the parties in Julius Caesar standing for an election. Who would win? Would the electorate be tempted by the tried and trusted old campaigner, Caesar himself? How about the coalition party led by Brutus and Cassius? Or would they be tempted by the arch-manipulator, Marc Antony?

One of the strengths of Deborah Warner’s new production of Shakespeare’s political epic is that she doesn’t pick sides. It would be easy to view Brutus as an idealistic freedom fighter opposing a dictator or as a bloody assassin striking a blow against democracy, but she eschews such interpretation. Perhaps that’s necessary seeing that Warner has to handle the starriest Caesar cast list since the 1952 cinema version. When you have actors of the calibre of Fiona Shaw as Brutus’ wife Portia, present in just two short scenes, a director would be right to tread a careful line.

Anton Lesser’s Brutus is a twitching neurotic, Ralph Fiennes’ Ant...

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Latest User Review

62.254.64.17) - 6 May 2005:

Have to disagree with below - Lesser is excellent, and I think it's too easy to underestimate what a long and hard part that is in comparison to Cassius/Antony - there aren't anything like the fireworks in it. I thought it was a heartrending, new, and best of all, totally textual interpretation of the part. I wasn't hotly impressed with Fiennes, but the rest of the production was absolutely stunning. ...

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