Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

This evening, I saw a production of Julius Caesar that was impressive beyond words. The actors, confident in their skills, made the words radiate pure power through the air. The impassioned monologues, the verbal duels, the air of conspiracy, and the dramatic death of Caesar all were brought to life by the talented actors.

I saw the play in the Noel Coward Theatre, a picturesque locale, as the pictures below may indicate. The grandeur of the theatre added to the atmosphere of the play. I was simply blown away by the quality and sheer addictiveness of the performance. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time, the electric atmosphere flying off the stage into the audience. I was also surprised at how relevant and relatable this ancient play still is. The themes and characters are timeless, a point the creative director chose to exploit by setting the costuming and set in a modernish Africa. It seemed to allow the actors a little more freedom to push emotion into the performance and showed how the fallen, martyred leader is a character in all societies. The African setting also opened up a discussion of Shakespeare's role in Africa. The articles within the program (which I bought as a great souvenir) explained how Shakespeare connects well with African culture and that he was one of the only non-African authors preserved in the curriculum in some nations.

I found the play, the venue, and the modern twists on the classic themes all incredible. This experience was yet another unforgettable memory. Hearing these immortalized lines sent shivers down my spine, most of all when Cassius proclaimed, “How many ages hence/ Shall this our lofty scene be acted o'er,/ In states unborn, and accents yet unknown!”

Dressing Up For the Theatre

Posted with Blogsy