By Kathryn Olsen
In a small theater dubbed Studio 115 of the University of Utah’s Performing Arts Building, the Department of Theatre is currently invoking the ancient spirits of Rome and a credible dystopian future in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The set is minimalist and serves as battlefield and political bandstand, but the thirteen actresses and five actors in this production transport the audience to a setting of timeless principles and eternal conflicts. This is surprising for a 1599 play about the Roman Empire, but it is, of course, Shakespeare and one cannot help but connect with the messages that are as memorable as the play’s famous speeches. As director David Carey says, “The play deals with the consequences of authoritarianism and idealism in the political sphere. At a time when populism, authoritarianism, and the idealisms of left and right are threatening the basic tenets of democracy, it feels right to be mounting a production of Julius Caesar.” Indeed, the plebeian population of Rome spends so little time formulating their own opinions that we recognize senseless extremism on all sides of the current political climate. I, myself, was eager to see this production first because while I have read the play and memorized the famous Marc Antony eulogy, I have never seen it performed. Secondly, I enjoy seeing productions by a collegiate cast, where we see great things in their future, but know that a professional career lies beyond years of learning experiences.
The eponymous Caesar has roughly one-quarter of the show to leave a lasting impact and junior Selah Mckenna certainly cuts a striking figure. The ensemble cast is gender-swapped as part of this 2118 Rome, since the collapse of social order (due to climate change, according to the program) means that women are the dominant power and men are the weaker sex. She is a conquering hero in all rights and initially seems to grasp the balance that must be struck between a victory lap and a grounding in the society that results. She is unbowed, but unhearing, ignoring first the Soothsayer (Tom Roche) and augers who speak doom and read omens; and later her fellow leaders who resort to murder. She spends the second half of the play as a silent and blood-stained spectre who must stand in condemnation against her murderers, but Mckenna is forceful enough at the start that we feel that adamant power in her sile
It is this power that drives the interpretations of the murderers. The assembly that begins with rational talk of the war and ends with “Et tu, Brute,” is set up well so that we see the stabbings as results of injustices and an unbearable glimpse of the future; the women, who hyperventilate with blood-stained hands and sometimes shriek their victory over a tyrant, certainly seem to think so.
The conspirators Marcus Brutus (Lindsie Kongsore), Cassius (Isabel Crews), Casca (Hannah Ensign), Decius Brutus (Shelice Warr), Cinna (Emily Smiley), Metellus Cimber (Jessica Graham), Trebonius (Brynn Duncan), and Caius Ligarius (Kalla Nielsen) are an ensemble with a blood-chillingly reasonable approach to the mob mentality. They set Caesar up to be deserving of death, but raise their daggers in victory while proclaiming that “Ambition’s debt is paid!” and that Rome can now live in “Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!”
All of the actresses who set upon Caesar play their parts well, but the contrast of Marcus Brutus and Marc Antony is flawlessly done in this production. Kongsore, still flush with mad excitement and wearing the uniform that bears Caesar’s blood, turns the Roman people against the person who lived in ambition. She is overwhelmed by the great and terrible consequences of her actions. When the second half plays out the war that ensues and we see these conspirators driven to desperation, if not honest remorse, we can understand that they have seen the evil of their own deeds. It is wonderfully played out.
Antony, on the other hand, is galvanized by this approach to the tragedy of Julius Caesar. Mary-Helen Pittman Is the only one truly affected at first by the murder, but cannot reconcile Caesar’s ambition with the woman she served. She hears Brutus’ raging against the leader who sought only her own good and it transforms Pittman into a person who fearlessly speaks of harsh realities and turns against her own people in the war to come. She is also so moving that she turns the Roman mob into an entity that remembers why it worshipped the godlike Caesar.
The chorus itself plays many changeable parts, from those cheering the victorious armies to soldiers themselves. It is an impressive act of directing versatility by Carey to create a united front that could then be scattered across a spectrum of loyalties.
The set, though minimalist, is a wonderfully versatile design by Cara Pomeroy, and the props by Arika Shockmel are just as functional and understated. Gerard Black provides original music and sound design that reminded me strongly of the processionals in Ben-Hur. The lighting design by Nick Bellendir, combined with the intense fighting choreographed by Adriana Lemke, enhances the play’s fervor. The introduction by Dramaturg Alia Richards allows the audience to appreciate why they see shades of Julius Caesar in modern society. Finally, credit must be paid to Katherine Jelte, who dressed the principal cast identically, save for draped decorations that made it very easy to distinguish between the various Senators.
Julius Caesar is best suited for older children, but it is only playing until November 4, so don’t wait for the Romans to “run hence and proclaim it in the streets” to get tickets. Turn off political commentaries, escape from midterm election drama, and immerse yourself in a world where consequences are staggering and a change of heart is never far distant.
The University of Utah Department of Theatre Presents Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare
University of Utah, Studio 115, 240 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Contact: 801-581-7100
October 26-November 4, 2018 7:30 PM, November 4 2:00 PM
Tickets: $8.50-18
The University of Utah Department of Theatre Facebook Page
Julius Caesar Facebook Event
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