7/30/2019 Why Caesar? Why Now?

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Why Caesar? Why Now?

Let's be honest, most people know the story of Julius Caesar and most of us knowthe play because we HAD to read it our high school English class. I have already mentioned my first time with the Bard, here and I am certain that a large percentage of folks coming to our production had a similar experience. More than likely that experience was with Julius Caesar. It is EVER PRESENT in high schools.

Why is Julius Caesar THE play that teachers use as an "in" to the works of The Bard? I am glad you asked. If I had to simplify the reasons teachers gravitatetowards this piece, it would be for the following reasons:

The language is some of the most accessible in all Shakespeare's works and it isn't rife with innuendo. That means teachers don't have to explain the "prick ofnoon" to a room full of tittering teens.The story is quite linear. It doesn't veer into any upstairs/downstairs subplotsand there is no mistaken identity (except for poor Cinna the poet)There is NO sex in it. Violence, you betcha, but sex...no way! See the first point about a room full of teens. I often wonder what this says about us as a culture. Is it easier to handle the brutal stabbing of a person than it is to addresssexual intimacy or innuendo?

All in all, Julius Caesar is a fairly innocent entry point to the work of Willythe Shake. By the way, all 10th graders in North Carolina are required to read the play.

But why produce it? Why do this play now?

Again, I am glad you asked. Here are some "simple" answers:The language is accessible and the story is linear.This is a unique opportunity with The Bard. The story is well known so the audience can relax a little more than normal. The structure and language of the playallows audiences to follow the story with a little more ease and not worry aboutfiguring out who is dressed as who or what words and phrases mean. This allowsus as a cast and crew to focus on THE STORY. We are able to do Julius Caesar mor

e simply than say, A WINTER'S TALE.It is truly timelessPolitical conspiracy, manipulation and assassination are rampant throughout history. As a country, we don't have to look too far in the past to see the impact aleader's assassination can have on our nation. (Not to mention conspiracies)Political rhetoric is alive and well. To be honest is has achieved a level the Greeks and Romans could never have imagined. Politicians on all sides of the fence (and those that have no fence as well) have perfected the art of using all available forms of persuasion to move the populace closer to their own point of view. Let's not even talk about the power of the media to persuade, push, or even set an agenda (again all issues, all parties).So those are "simple." They deal with the technical "why now." But deep down howdoes Caesar resonate today and why would we want to tackle it?

Turn on the TV and you will see why.

The conspiracy that leads to Caesar's death will not succeed until they enlist Brutus. Brutus is a man without an agenda, a man that is beloved by Caesar as well as the people of Rome. He is a moderate if you will. He can move across the aisle of the senate with ease. Cassius and crew NEED someone like him to "justify"their actions. Brutus struggles with it. He has been ill at ease for awhile butis not willing to commit to having a hand in it. Cassius then misrepresents thefacts and goes so far as to plant (throwing letters in Brutus' windows) informa

7/30/2019 Why Caesar? Why Now?

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tion that helps to convince Brutus that the death of Caesar is needed for Rome to move forward.

Sound familiar? Substitute the words, Iraq and weapons of mass destruction and you can clearly see this game of manipulation is still played today and the justification is still "the good of the nation."

In the play Hamlet, Hamlet instructs the players "to hold, as t were, a mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very ageand body of the time his form and pressure."

In Julius Caesar, we are looking "back" at 44BC. However, in our production Caesar and the senators will wear suits not robes. The characters speak in heightened language but the meaning transcends time and space. The actions of the characters seem barbaric and self important. All in all, Julius Caesar is one hell of amirror. On February 15th we will hold that mirror up for all to see.

Please join us!

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