Last night Neva and I went along to the opening night of RSC Julius Caesar, currently being performed at Norwich Theatre until Saturday 10th June.
Neva is currently studying elements of Shakespeare as part of her English Literature degree, so she was keen to see how director Atri Banerjee brought Julius Caesar alive, and he did not disappoint!
Our last Shakespeare encounter was Twelfth Night, which was brilliant, so we were expecting great things!
The Royal Shakespeare Company returns to Norwich with a fast-paced political thriller, directed by Atri Banerjee. Atri was listed in The Stage 25 as one to watch in 2022 and previously won Best Director at The Stage Debut Awards in 2019. His fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s timeless story forces us all to consider how far we would go for our political principles.
Julius Caesar has returned to Rome triumphant from the war against Pompey. The Roman Republic is prepared to heap him with new honours, causing concern and dismay among some senators who fear that too much power is held by one person.
Caius Cassius plots a conspiracy to murder Caesar, enlisting the help of the well respected Brutus.
Brutus has misgivings but it persuaded that Caesar’s death is necessary for the good of the republic. However, Brutus rejects Cassius’ proposal that Mark Anthony, close friend of Caesar, should also be killed. Brutus, Cassius and their co-conspirators stab Caesar to death at the senate house on the Ides of March.
At Caesar’s funeral Brutus addresses the people and successfully explains the conspirator’s motives.
However, Mark Anthony speaks next and turns the mob against the conspirators, who are forced to flee Rome.
Mark Anthony and Caesar’s nephew, Octavius, take command of Rome and lead an army against the conspirators.
What Did We think of RSC Julius Caesar?
From the moment the room went dark and you saw three musicians appear on top of a large structure, you knew it wasn’t going to be a stuffy Shakespeare rendition!
The movement and dance throughout the show was particularly striking, but if you are expecting roman soldier outfits and togas, you’ll be disappointed!
You will however be treated to many Shakespearean monologues, including Mark Anthony’s Famous speech!
So if you are currently studying Shakespeare or you know someone who is, then you need to get yourselves to Norwich Theatre this week!
The costumes were modern and simple, and the death scene of Caesar was one of my favourites, so simple but so effective, with each of the characters taking their turn to literally dig the knife in!
The choreography of the final scene between Octavius and Brutus was mesmerising and one I will remember in detail.
All members of the cast delivered their words with feeling and conviction, Mark Anthony played by William Robinson was the stand out performance of the night for me, followed closely by Ella Dacres portrayal of Octavius Caesar.
Both Cassius (Annabel Baldwin) and Brutus (Thalissa Teixeira) gave stunning performances and their passion for the production shone through.
The set was inspiring, I particularly liked the large structure that was spun throughout the second half, it gave the stage a greater depth and the characters could be seen from new heights.
The role of Lucius played by Jamal Ajala was further enhanced by the use of sign language, when they were communicating with him, which was added proof that anyone can be part of the Arts, and being deaf does not stop you from being there in the centre of the stage, as a mum of a child with additional needs, it is so lovely for me to know that there are no barriers in theatre!
I love going to see performances like this, that are widening the audience range, offering new ways to appreciate older texts and encouraging the younger generation to go along and enjoy them, long may it continue!
The running time for the show is approx 2 hours 45 minutes including a 20 minute interval, which sounds quite long but it actually went really quickly.