What a birthday it was! When for a present, I was taken to see a production of Julius Caesar at the newly refurbished RSC, it took my expectations to a new level. The powerful play translates perfectly into a conflict set in modern Africa : no doubt inspired by Nelson Mandela's quotations from its most poignant passages.
The political repercussions of a country in turmoil from the death of a dictator are all the more relevant today, with the deaths of Muammar al-Gaddaffi, Saddam Hussein; and even Osama Bin Laden, fresh in our minds. When Caesar’s statue falls, the cross reference to the iconic felling of Saddam’s statue couldn’t be clearer. Considering the many revolutions in countries throughout the world in the past few years, Shakespeare’s themes of national pride, identity, have lost none of their significance.
Yet it isn’t just the staging and production that made the play for me. The energy and passion of the performances made the characters as raw and timeless as they ever were. I hate to name names, but Paterson Joseph made an excellent Brutus. He pretty much stole show for me.
Above all, it was great to have seen the play at last. World class performances were given by all. And Brutus was indeed an honourable man.
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