Review: ‘Julius Caesar’ by Ogden Shakespeare Festival
TheatreARTBEAT, Caril Jennings
‘Julius Caesar’
A Tragedy by William Shakespeare
Directed by Jennifer Riley
March 13-15, 7:30 PM (Sunday 5 PM)
Eccles Theatre
Weber State University, Browning Center for the Performing Arts
REVIEW
Performance photos of Ogden Shakespeare Theater’s “Julius Caesar.” Caril Jennings
No King!!
No Tyrants!!
Beware the Ides of March (15 March).
Everything about the choice of this play for this time is classic. It is the useful choice of theatre messengers, those that use theatre as a vehicle for social commentary or, sometimes, change.
To begin with, the set designer should win an award for implying Greek tragedy-level drama. The Corinthian columns were stunning. To think they had just been installed the day of the final dress is Olympian in scope. The only color on raw canvas was blood-red, to set the playing field for the bloody deeds to be played out across the stage. It is a work of art in itself. It becomes even more artful when the various lights are played on it.
As an audience member, the ugly truth came out as I was physically appalled by the assassination of the tyrant himself. I knew what was coming. I know the story, for cryin’ out loud. Still, it was horrible when Caesar was murdered by people he knew well; people who had facilitated his rise to fame – his toadies. These people used his congenial attributes as a war hero to make themselves a place in Rome. Even the audience is allowed to like Caesar. He is a likeable guy. That alone is what makes Cassius jealous. Caesar is no better than Cassius is.
Cassius couldn’t be a better hotheaded revolutionary if you called Central Casting and asked for a RED-headed hothead. Their vitality and idealism for the republic is translated into manipulative rhetoric that brings the crowd along on to their side.
The right side, right! It all collapses when they think they have caused the death of their dearest friend. They kill themselves in remorse; except their friend wasn’t dead. Here, Cassius’ impulsiveness caused his own unnecessary death.
Brutus gets to show a complete change of character from Act I and II. The pensive philosopher, only turned toward action by brilliant arguments in Act I, becomes the forceful war leader in Act II. However, great Caesar’s ghost!! He is haunted by the actual deed, horror – the murder of a dear, fatherlike friend. He realizes, too late, that he is the real villain.
Brutus thinks the actions of his peers will be followed by the general populace but he is wrong. He finds himself an enemy of the people, the people led by Marc Antony. Antony’s opinion of himself and his opinion sit right next to intolerable, he is soooo self-righteous. I found myself “not” listening to most of his rhetoric as “been there, done that” from self-righteous, pious icons through history. Same as it ever was.
The tragedy of this production is the short run. You want to rethink what is going on in the political world from the White House to Greenland to Venezuela to Iran, to etc., etc., etc., watch this play and consider where we are. Would deposing a tyrant through assassination improve things? Not very likely. Not likely at all.
This makes me want to send protection thoughts to Trumpf right now to shelter him from well-wished assassins. The last thing we need is a right-wing martyr. Charlie Kirk is enough.