Hidden Ambition Exposed in ‘Caesar’

Julius Caesar was one of the first of Shakespeare’s plays I studied. My eighth-grade teacher favored having little groups of us act out certain scenes in the play. A good pedagogy, for, lo, these many decades later, I recaptured not only the narrative line but also the memorable passages of poised and skillful rhetoric embedded in Theatricum Botanicum’s production. The tragedy unwinds as the inexorable result of Caesar’s unchecked ambition. And while the play is named for Caesar, it pivots on the character of Brutus, whose integrity and gentility make his decision to join the conspirators to assassinate the arrogant and megalomanaical Caesar his moral dilemma. Mike Peebler’s Brutus is a Stoic, serious in nature, but he also displays tenderness, as seen in the touching picture of his wife’s love and his affection for her, and for his young servant, Lucius. The scene between the visibly pregnant Portia (Susan Angelo) and Brutus is one of the play’s most moving moments. To serve the plot, Caesar must show an outsized ego, giving little hint of the attributes that made him one of the world’s great leaders. In this production, Carl Palmer still manages to portray a flesh-and-blood Caesar, who is at once a boisterous ‘good ol’ boy’ and a deferential husband to his wife, Calpurnia (D.J. Harner). Speaking of boisterous, Aaron Hendry’s Marc Antony displays equal parts of frolicsome sexuality, military prowess, and astute political purpose. Geer’s decision to cast Melora Marshall in the important role of Cassius was a misstep. Not even this highly gifted actor was able to present Cassius as more than a sullen, mordant Roman. He is the man, after all, who is the dynamic personality among the rebels, and who convinces Brutus to join the conspirators. Yet in this interpretation, he doesn’t resemble that man whom Caesar estimates as having a sharp intelligence who ‘looks quite through the deeds of men.’ A woman in the role, played straight with no hint of irony, doesn’t convince us of this powerful military man who had once fought against Caesar. Director Ellen Geer offers a straightforward reading of the text ably interpreted by the cast. While the theme is all too familiar to modern audiences, she avoids coloring the action for dramatic effect. The events themselves provide more than enough action, particularly as choreographed on and around the expansive outdoor stage at the Theatricum. In the end, the marvel of ‘Julius Caesar’ is Shakespeare’s blank verse, with its characteristic heightening of imagination and language. So many great speeches: Brutus’ soliloquy rationalizing the need for killing Caesar; Antony’s speech over Caesar’s body, and the orations of Brutus and Antony at Caesar’s funeral. ‘Julius Caesar’ plays Sundays in August at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, August 29 at 4 p.m., with additional shows in September. For tickets, call 310-455-3723 or visit www.theatricum.com.