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"Julius Caesar is not a great play, I have seen some dreadful productions at Stratford, and we only came because we had..."
Another tragedy from the pen of William Shakespeare returns to the stage of the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon under the direction of Lucy Bailey this year as Greg Hicks returning to the role of Caesar alongside Sam Troughton as Brutus and John Mackay as Cassius. The classic play that chronicles the assassination of a Roman dictator appears at the venue from July to September 2010.
William Shakespeare penned many plays that feature a historical account of ancient Rome, with others than included “Antony and Cleopatra” (which appears under the direction of Michael Boyd earlier in the year) and “Coriolanus”. It is believed to have been penned sometime in 1599 and reflects the society of our own country during this era, when then-Queen Elizabeth I had failed to name a successor to the throne, leading to fears of civil war following her death. The result was a play that is famous for its themes of friendship, betrayal and patriotism and has been performed regularly since it was first set to paper, whilst having a profound effect on popular culture.
The story centres on the growing resentment circling around the rule of Caesar as suspicions surround his plans to transform Rome from a republic and into a dictatorship. However, he is very popular with the public and so he does not notice the conspirators close to his heart, with his friends amongst those planning to kill him. One of his senators, Decius Brutus, initially refuses to acknowledge the threat of the ‘Ides of March’, but with time realises that the only way to save Rome is to take the life of the emperor. The result is the eventual assassination of Caesar and the aftermath of a country heading towards civil war.
Greg Hicks returns to the role of Caesar at the same time as his role of Leontes in “The Winter’s Tale”, which runs in repertoire. He earned great critical acclaim for his performance in another of Shakespeare’s Roman histories – “Coriolanus”, directed by David Farr, which also saw him win the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award and receive a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award. His credits for the Royal Shakespeare Company include “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “Macbeth”.
Julius Caesar is at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from Wednesday 28th July 2010 to Saturday 4th September 2010.
