Julius Caesar

In this quite brilliant reinterpretation, Chaika Theatre’s production completely reframes the morality of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, highlighting how Shakespeare’s language and depiction of political motivation transcends his intention. Director Caitlin Baker uses potent modern symbols extremely sparingly, just enough to suggest a different interpretation but not so much as to completely overwhelm. By placing Caesar in Trump’s trademark blue suit and red tie, Baker suggests Caesar is in a position a little like Trump. But he is emphatically NOT Trumpian and could never be Trumpian without suffering a severe brain injury. Trump is such an overwhelming character that it takes incredible precision to invoke him without obliterating the imagined universe of the play, which makes director Baker’s achievement very clever indeed. By raising the spectre of the modern age, Baker reminds the audience that Caesar was an aspiring dictator who was in the process of destroying a democracy. This Julius Caesar (Michael Sparks) has grown used to his own success, his intuition dulled by complacency, luxury and the fawning of fans. He is in no way a hero.

This shift in perspective in turn redraws other characters, most notably Brutus and Cassius. Traditionally the manipulative, envious villain, Cassius (played beautifully by Yanina Clifton) becomes female, and an earnest freedom fighter working to save Roman democracy, such as it was. Brutus is no longer the manipulated, loyal-hearted dupe, nor the man silently motivated by his own ambition. Lachlan Ruffy’s Brutus is honest, conflicted and impassioned. Colin Giles’ Mark Antony is a precisely-honed weapon of fire, while Karen Vickery’s Casca is a shiv of pure ice.

Baker has Amy Kowalczuk play both Portia and Calpurnia, and gives both characters similar costumes, tone and near identical movement, in a take that seems to me to be a cheeky dig at some lazy characterisation on the part of the Bard.

A minimalist strip stage running between two audience blocks, lovely sound and lighting design wrap up this tight production. Chaika Theatre’s Julius Caesar is an intellectual treat which I highly recommend.

Cathy Bannister

Photographer: Jane Duong