Reviewed by Frank McKone
July 23
CAST
Brutus – Lachlan Ruffy
Cassius – Yanina Clifton
Mark Antony – Colin Giles
Julius Caesar – Michael Sparks
Casca – Karen Vickery
Portia/Calpurnia – Amy Kowalczuk
Metellus Cimber – Sophia Mellink
Decius Brutus – Paris Scharkie
Lucius & Octavius – Joshua James
Cinna the Conspirator – Pete Stiles
Ligarius & Cinna the Poet – Ian Russell
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director & Set/Costume Designer – Caitlin Baker
Stage Manager – Sienna Curnow
Lighting Designer – Lachlan Houen
Composer & Sound Designer – Paris Scharkie
Associate Sound Designer – Neville Pye
Props Master – Yanina Clifton
Fight Choreographer – Lachlan Ruffy
Assistant Director – Kat Dunkerley
It is certainly appropriate for Chaika Theatre, based in Australia’s National Capital, to open Julius Caesar just as our 48th Parliament has opened for its next 3-year term. This very successful production of Shakespeare’s study of the politics of government raises the age-old question: is power in the hands of an ambitious self-adulatory individual better for the country than any, even if limited, form of democracy?
I leave the discussion of what has happened and is happening now, in the more than 200 countries around the world, to others, except to say that watching the honourable Brutus agonising about taking part in the killing of Caesar to prevent Rome becoming a dictatorship, after several centuries of republican parliamentary government, could not help but raise a comparison with the situation in the United States of America, where President Trump was recently very nearly assassinated.
The worst part of Shakespeare’s version of Roman history is the civil war among the conspirators following the assassination, rather than a return to reasonably stable government by the Senate.
The value of Chaika’s presentation is how clearly they showed the confusion of political positions, before and after the murder, that led to social disaster. Making the play modern in style and costumes, rather than Shakesperean ‘Roman’, allowed for a highly successful innovation. Half the usually male politicians and military characters were women – not just played by women, but as women, though keeping Shakespeare’s characters’ names and dialogue.
The effect, at least for me, was that the interplay between the characters was enlivened, and the depths of the feelings they expressed were clarified. The women generally articulated Shakespeare’s words and their implications with more variety and sharpness of effect – and made the issues real for everyone.
I think Shakespeare tried, but in his time could only manage to go some of the way, in the reactions of Portia and Calpurnia, played with great strength by Amy Kowalczuk, but seeing Cassius, Casca and Metellus Cimber from a woman’s point of view, played forcefully by Yanina Clifton, Karen Vickery and Sophia Mellink, was quite startling and opened up these characters far better than when played conventionally by men.
In addition, the choreographed representations of the stabbings and the warfare, stylised in almost dance form, worked very well. This allowed the feelings of the characters to become the focus, enhancing our feelings in the audience – the art in the movement made us feel the reality of the deaths.
Lighting and sound, though very hard to describe here in writing, were also a great strength of the production, especially with the audience either side of the central stage.
So, without more ado, I say do see the result of Caitlin Baker’s directing of Chaika, even if you think you don’t need to see again the Julius Caesar you had to study at school. Chaika will open your eyes, your mind and your feelings in a new way of seeing great Shakespeare.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
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