Photo by Cassius Cox
Optimist Theatre’s latest installment of Shakespeare in the Park, Julius Caesar, is a triumph of dark staging and political commentary. The Bard’s brilliance in Caesar is to show us how multiple political perspectives may bear a semblance of good and still result in bloodshed and the deaths of innocents when they come into conflict with one another. Optimist’s stirring, ominous production elements and exemplary ensemble of performers distill this reality into a powerful two-and-a-half hour piece of theater that still rings true after centuries.
Costumes, designed by a collaborative team, are a stark, sinister blend of modern formalwear and traditional Roman elements; clever touches like the inclusion of custodial coveralls highlight the story’s political parallels to modern working-class struggles. Jason Fassl’s lighting is tasteful and spare, pairing well with TJ Hull’s soundscape composition, which is likewise mostly understated, but appropriately rich in atonal strings and drums when the action requires foreboding or menacing aural support. Posy Knight’s set, overlaying the already majestic Selig-Joseph-Folz Amphitheater, is rugged—rocky outcroppings jut from the stage and a patchwork of modular exits made from chicken wire and fencing covers the sidewalls.
Under ML Cogar and Tom Reed’s direction, the performance ensemble is brilliant in both supporting and leading roles. Among the former, Brittany Curran stands out for her humorous portrayals of a fish seller plebian trying hard to cover her own disgust at her rancid product, as well as Brutus’ boy servant Lucius who means to please but seems always to be dropping off to sleep. Libby Amato is breathtaking as Brutus’ devoted wife, Portia, playing her character’s various strategies to get him to open up with distinctness and grace. In a marvelous bit of double casting, Amato also appears as Strato, who assists Brutus’ suicide. Finally, Leslie Fitzwater’s Soothsayer is a sensitive and gripping portrayal of a downtrodden clairvoyant whose only defense when manhandled and taunted by soldiers is to join in the jeering laughter hurled her way.
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Among the primaries, Allen Edge’s Julius Caesar stands out most for supreme self-assurance. Here is a portrayal which, although certainly regal, is almost impossible to consider heroic. Exemplary cross-gender performances come from Laura Gray as Mark Antony and Angela Iannone as Brutus. Gray’s interpretation of the famous “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech is measured and poised—a highly effective choice for the character who, arguably, shows the greatest strength and shrewdness of all. Iannone’s Brutus is sheer brilliance. The actress’ perfectly tempered voice echoes through Kadish Park at precisely the right moments and her tremendous physical elegance is perfectly suited for William Shakespeare’s tragic hero grappling with some of the greatest philosophical and political questions of all time. For performances such as this—and for the ongoing relevance of the subject matter of political infighting with tragic, large-scale cost—this production is a must-see.
Through Aug. 21 in the Selig-Joseph-Folz Amphitheater in Kadish Park. Admission is free but audiences are encouraged to arrive early and bring their own folding chairs.
