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:

5 December 2012

After the all-black Caesar from the RSC, it's the turn of the women as Phyllida Lloyd's keenly awaited production hits the Donmar.

The central point in Lloyd's production is that it's set in a women's prison, a setting that allows the themes of power and its abuse and shifting loyalties to be explored.

One thing that Lloyd does bring out well is the relationship between the conspirators themselves and the conspirators and Caesar - there's much talk of love in the play but it's not something brought to the fore much by male actors. There’s also the malign side of this and Lloyd captures well; the petty jealousies that will exist within a closed environment.

Frances Barber's Caesar dominates the action - even after her death, Caesar’s ghost is a constant observer. There's often a moral ambiguity about the portrayal of Caesar and whether he is the tyrant depicted by Cassius and Brutus but, as in the recent RSC production...

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Latest User Review

Paul Wallis - 8 February 2013:

How to ruin a classic text with a pretentious production! Shame as the idea of using an female cast is a good one but the Donmar's production of Julius Caesar is a huge dissapointment ...

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