Julius Caesar

5.5/10

Dealing with questions of power, duty, and influence, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is one of his more popular plays and feels particularly relevant in today’s climate. The tragedy builds not only through what happens on stage, but also with the audience’s knowledge regarding the inevitable fall of the Roman Republic. Walking into the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre for its abridged version of Julius Caesar is a jarring experience. Conflicting elements battle for the audience’s attention, with a classical marble platform dominating the middle of the stage, modern televisions on the walls along with frantic sketches, and a bust of the titular character looming in the corner. Surrounding the marble platform sits the audience, creating a “theatre-in-the-round” configuration and a central focal point.

This production offers a unique take on power through the use of a bust of Caesar in the place of an actor. The prominent placement of the bust, complete with its own lighting, emphasizes the power of the figure in everyday life and acts as an idol for the Romans all too keen to cede power to him. After Caesar’s assassination, the bust remains as a haunting reminder of what the protagonists have done and Caesar’s enduring legacy of authoritarianism. The silent presence of Caesar, juxtaposed with the dialogue of the conspirators, successfully conveys the ease with which the powerful dominate and the effort necessary to resist. The only downside of Caesar's constant presence is that the actors feel compelled to focus on the bust, leaving significant portions of the audience staring at the back of an actor while they deliver lines to the corner.

One thing that the missing actor does not do is shorten the play. With a runtime of approximately two and a half hours, Caesar is on the longer end of typical community theater offerings and, at times, feels it. The first act ran roughly an hour and a half and ended with a dramatic act of violence before the lights came on for intermission, leaving some in the audience unsure if the play was over.

However, strong performances from leads Millie Lowry, playing Brutus, and Esteban Alvarez III, playing Cassius, keep the story moving. Lowry's Brutus is contemplative, torn between a love of Caesar and a duty to the ideals of the Republic. Meanwhile, Alvarez's Cassius is the ambitious spark that ignites the flame of conspiracy, making the case for assassination while seemingly having ulterior motives for the plot. Both Lowry and Alvarez navigate the difficult Shakespearean language with ease, clearly communicating their meaning through movement and expressions. Their consistency is grounded in drama and keeps the tension at the forefront, staying away from inappropriate comedic choices found in other moments of the production.

In continuing the trend of modernizing Shakespeare, Caesar appears to be set outside ancient Rome, with Romans who ditch tunics and togas in favor of animal print, leather pants, 1970s business attire, and every style in between. Chaos and anachronism seem to be the goal, with little to tether characters to each other or a cohesive theme, making it difficult to tell when or where this story takes place and leaving the audience unmoored.

Unfortunately, there are multiple design choices that create distraction. In addition to the costumes, television screens adorn the walls, tucked between sketches, and turn on to punctuate certain ominous moments, but the effect draws attention away from the action and does little to enhance the story or create a clear theme. Between the televisions and random sounds emerging from offstage, perhaps the intent is confusion and unease between moments of violence.

Overall, Caesar at the ART is an ambitious production. There are a number of decisions and concepts that are interesting and work well, including eliminating the character of Julius Caesar, but there are some that do not land as effectively or are simply incomplete. That will always be the risk in updating the often timeless themes of Shakespeare. Julius Caesar runs through March 15th (Beware the Ides of March!) and tickets can be purchased at acrosstown.org.