(Photo credit: Genevieve Kauper)
Written by Patrick Chavis
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is playing at the Larking House from January 23 to February 1, 2025.
This Matthew M. Hayashi-directed and adapted Tragedy of Julius Caesar intense tension, set behind a clean post-apocalyptic futuristic backdrop, fits the story like a glove until its obvious but thrilling conclusion.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is one of William Shakespeare’s tragedies; he wasn’t trying to hide it. It’s in the title; he’s like, I’m William Shakespeare. I will give you slight spoilers, and you’ll still love it because I’m Shakespeare, and that’s what I do. Joking aside, it is a tragedy, so expect blood. So maybe it’s similar to when I forget to flosh. Expect blood.
Story/Costumes:
Set in ancient Rome, the play centers around a plot to assassinate Julius Caesar because of the fear from even people close to him, such as Cassius (Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga) and Brutus (Coleman Blue Summers). The play chronicles the plot to assassinate and what happens afterward.
Shakespeare is one of the most adapted playwrights of all time, so it’s unsurprising to see the story brought to another time, place, or even genre. That doesn’t mean it always works; I’ve seen productions where the most significant change was fashion. If you change this classic work, there must be more to your production than fashion. Adapter/director Matthew Hayahsi’s choices to mold the Julius Caesar tragedy into a post-apocalyptic world needed no explanation. I watched the world grow right before my eyes, a mixture of new and old. A new world that spoke an old tongue but still dealt with real human issues. A thrilling and fresh approach to the material, hampered mildly by a rushed costume design in some aspects. In other aspects, especially when considering the main characters, there are some flattering and practical designs from Feyara Bellefleur.
Set/Lighting/Sound:
Splitting the seating in the small space isolated the focus of the stage to the middle of the space. The space was curated even more with a grungy, aged look on the walls. The entrance left of the stage was a sturdy but modern-looking Roman pillar entrance. What might be seen as the centerpiece of visual art from Scenic Designer Caleb Mckiney in this piece right of the stage is the ever-changing colored window. This creates wonderful visuals and an atmosphere in this dark and often moody atmosphere created by lighting designer Tony Sanchez. But it also provides the feeling that you are in a space of power as Caesar and others use this window as a literal and metaphorical window to look down on his people. The window not only communicates an important subtext in the story but also matches the post-apocalyptic look of the space.
Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga (Cassius) & Brutus (Coleman Blue Summers)
The music and sound effects from Jarid McCarthy and score from Josh Causley seem to fly in and out smoothly throughout the production, adding to the drama without being too distracting—a much-needed aspect in a play with so much to say and less to actually do.
Acting/costumes:
Exceptional work from this ensemble. Some may find Shakespeare confusing because of the language, but it’s not so difficult if the actors express the right emotions. This group of actors did a fantastic job communicating the vernacular of Shakespeare in a very accessible way without dumping it down. I think this production would be an excellent choice for someone dipping their toes into Shakespearean texts.
A heavy and mesmerizing performance from Colman Blue Summers as the conflicted but resolute Brutus. Able to deliver dialogue with the ferociousness of an authoritarian and the calm, relatable tenderness of someone who truly cares about what they say.
Caesar has arrived, and his name is Zion Aguilar. Aguilar performs a tightrope of emotions while providing the proper confidence and attitude to increase tension through the clever blocking employed to intensify the impending drama. One of the more touching scenes is with Calpurnia (Rose Sandoval), his wife, and their back-and-forth, which is quite engaging. Calpurnia’s outfit with the beaded string around her face, possibly Dune-inspired, was a nice touch and one of the better outfits in the show, including the long black-looking jacket worn by Coleman Summers and slicked-back hair reminiscent of Stalin.
Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga (Cassius) plays a great foil to Brutus, displaying similar aims but with different motivations. Burciaga provides a great contrast with her performance.
Last but certainly not least, Mark Antony, played by the newcomer to the Larking House, Mihr Christian Pinga. I saw him last year in the Bog of Cats. He was excellent in that role, and he’s only gotten better.
Overall:
If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, Sci-Fi, and good theatre, lend me your ears. There’s a great show playing at the Larking House through January.
Review
8.6
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Story8.8Acting9.1Set & Design8.5Costumes7.6Entertainment8.8
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Great Show! OCR Recommended!
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Agreed