By Sarah Klemm
Correspondent
With a simplistic setting and a cast of eight talented actors, Shakespeare 70’s production of “Julius Caesar” directed by Curt Foxworth was a wonderful and creative rendition of a classic play.
Shakespeare 70 is a small acting group based in Ewing that is not affiliated with the College. The troupe performs a multitude of different plays each season. Some of their other shows this season include “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, “The Minutes” by Tracy Letts and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.
At the start of the play, the small stage was set with multiple chairs arranged in a circle, and the actors were all preparing to begin the show. The production took place at the Don Evans Black Box Theatre at the College, and it ran from Oct. 18-22.
The small, intimate environment of the performance space added to the overall atmosphere of the show, and made the audience members feel much more involved and invested in the actions of the play–almost as if they were a part of it.
In fact, the role of Trebonius, one of the characters in “Julius Caesar,” was actually an audience member chosen from the crowd and gestured to each time that the name Trebonius was mentioned. It was a comedic bit that continued throughout the entirety of the play and never failed to make the audience laugh.
Another one of the most well-received scenes was right at the beginning of the plot to kill Caesar when the lights suddenly went out. The show started out with all the lights in the theater on, which created a casual and simple atmosphere. By the time that the show started to take a darker turn and the characters began to plot the murder of Caesar, the room suddenly went dark and gasps could be heard from the audience. It was these simple, yet effective, moments that had such an impact on the way that the show as a whole was received.
The simplicity of these scenes, combined with the casual costumes and the set of a few folding chairs, added to this modern and creative take on the play.
Freshman elementary education major Tyler Steinmetz said, “I think it was interesting how they portrayed the characters in more of a modern way. They had almost modern emotions when it came to how they were acting around the events.”
Another impressive scene took place when the character Brutus (Jake Burbage) has a vision of the spirit of Caesar after murdering him. This scene was paired with one of the characters playing the guitar and singing in the background while the stage became dark and the light shined only on the vision of Caesar. The music added to this hauntingly beautiful scene and was a wonderfully creative touch which added to the play as a whole.
The talented actors of Shakespeare 70 and the many creative directing choices throughout the play shaped this performance of “Julius Caesar” into something enjoyable for both Shakespeare fans and those who are just looking for a unique and impactful show.
