Synopsis

A gripping political thriller, Julius Caesar is a brutal tale of ambition, incursion and revolution that reveals both the public and private impact of political upheaval.  It is the story of the conspiracy against Caesar, his assassination and the defeat of his conspirators.

“How many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown…?”
– Cassius, Julius Caesar ACT III, scene 1

In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare draws on historical events, while hinting at the uncertainties of his own time as well as an unknown future. He seemed to understand how often history repeats itself, and how consistently we need to relearn lessons from the past (unfortunate for society, but terribly convenient in the theatre.)

Shakespeare was interested in power – who gets to claim it, how it is wielded and how it’s passed on. And as someone deeply versed in the power of language, he was aware of how interconnected performance and politics are. How – for good or ill – it’s not always the most sensible argument that wins, but the most sensational. Living in a monarchy, Shakespeare had to be careful as to how he broached such subjects. Approaching the topic obliquely, through the lens of the past, he could distill ideas down to their essence, to investigate the human tendencies and frailties under the political machinations. To ask really basic, but hugely important questions, like:

Does killing a tyrant end tyranny? Is an imperfect ideal worth fighting for?
Can a bad deed (murder) lead to a good outcome (peace and justice)?
How does a society so passionately devoted to the ideals of self-governance slide into authoritarianism?…

Questions that feel depressingly relevant 425 years since the play was written and over 2000 years since the events it describes. Again, bad news for society, but awfully useful to us in the theatre. Because ultimately, as with all of his plays, the story is unfolding right here and right now on a stage – played by actors and supported by other creatives who are also people, citizens, with a vested interest in ensuring such questions continue to be posed, and hopefully, helping to find some new answers.

This production is the result of a process of exploration, of asking questions and trying things; the students who worked on it have brought their skills to the table as well as their curiosity, courage, generosity and care. The professionals have supported with profound creativity, openness and good humour. We didn’t always know exactly how it would all work together. We were sometimes (ok often) building the road as we walked on it. But that helped hone our sense of awareness, alertness to each other, of flexibility, of humility and collective commitment to telling a story that is at once cohesive and multi-faceted. This isn’t a finished product but a living organism that will only be fully realized with your presence and participation. Theatre, like democracy, is excitingly imperfect and sometimes messy and ultimately needs all of us working tirelessly with both seriousness and joy to make sure it survives.