Caesar Is Ambitious

By James E. Trainor III

Mt. Vernon - In 44 B.C.E., a group of Roman Senators publicly assassinated Julius Caesar, at that time the most powerful man in the known world. To explain why would be outside the scope of this review; Rome's internal conflict did not start here, nor will it end here. What Shakespeare's play gives us is an exciting dramatization of some of the pivotal events, and an insightful examination of some of the most important historical figures.

The problem of interpretation is one of the biggest challenges in producing Julius Caesar. Is Caesar a champion of the people, or an ambitious dictator? Is Brutus an idealistic reformer, or a cynical politician? What do we make of Mark Antony and the young Octavius, putting down the rebellion with such brutal speed?

These questions only get more complicated as time passes and popular politics change. Shakespeare might seem overly sympathetic toward Brutus, who commits a violent act in the name of "Peace, Freedom and Liberty," but we must remember he had not know the horrors of the mob rule during the French Revolution's "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity." His contemporaries might have been happy to allow a strong central authority in Elizabeth I (a contemporary analogue to Ceasar in 1599, when the play was most likely written), but they surely could not dream of the horrors 20th-Century dictators such as Stalin and Hitler would unleash.

The meaning of this story changes with each generation, and the director of Julius Caesar has the opportunity and the responsibility, not to pick sides, but to choose a focus for this multi-faceted show, and to bring context and clarity to the issues being discussed. This is an ambitious aim, but Grant Freeman, who directs Open Arenas Mt. Vernon's production, approaches it fearlessly.

His focus is on the violence and horror that the thought of civil war brings to a modern audience. His setting is the Rome of "the not-so-distant future, where a power driven government has taken control of the entire known world." He envisions a Rome "tiptoeing on the sharpened edge of a sword," and this vision is brought to fruition with a remarkable resourcefulness.

Turning the traditional staging around and seating the audience against the back wall of the stage, Freeman accomplishes two things. First, he pushes the lighting (by Lance Lineburg) into a primarily back-lighting mode, which creates an eerie stylized feel. Second, he pushes the audience quite literally against the wall, enacting a very claustrophobic staging that fits this setting perfectly. It's an uncomfortably dangerous world, where there are multiple factions in control of mobs, and the threat of violence is always present.

The setting heightens the hostility of the action; most characters are in some manner of camouflage fatigues (costumes by Barb Shepley) and the simple set-dressing suggests a burnt-out, war-weary city street. Thus, a very presentational style is accomplished in a very low-tech, low-budget way. This is a modern yet magical Rome: the mob whispers Caesar's name in darkness at the top of the show (as if conjuring him); loud, harsh rock music accompanies the scene changes; Caesar's ghost walks the battlefield in the final scenes with a grim restlessness. It's a very singular style that might overshadow the very human elements of the story if not for the engaging performances of the two lead actors.

Cassius is played with a heightened ferocity by Noel VanDenBosch. There is a hint of a suggestion that she bears for Caesar the grudge of a spurned ex-lover; in any case, her hatred of him is deep, heated, and expressed in aggressive, fiery terms. Cassius' association with Pompey (Caesar's rival, defeated shortly before the action of the play begins) is mentioned but played down; what she becomes in this production is a primal expression of rage. When she expresses her conservative values to Brutus, it is to shame him into action. She displays the same skill with Caska, and others: this Cassius is like a gardener of rage, knowing how to nourish the seed of anger in others and shame them, trick them, or instigate them into joining her cause.

Brutus (portrayed here by Stephen Gruber-Miller) is a more measured figure, a moralist and a clever politician. He's soft and careful, almost weak, in the earlier scenes, but when he cements his courage later on and stands up for his traditional moral values, S. Gruber-Miller shows us a Brutus who is every bit as forceful as Cassius, burning with a deeper fire that may last longer.

It's interesting to see the contrast in leadership with these two, both in the way the actors interact with the ensemble, and by the points they stick to when they're arguing about tactical choices. Cassius is a firebrand; inspiring enough to stir up a rebellion, but she does not have Brutus' instinctive political understanding. She needs him because, though she can lead a mutiny, she does not have the navigation skills to sail the ship. Brutus, on the other hand, needs someone who is willing to get her hands dirty, raise an army through less than noble means.

The collaboration of two wildly different types of leaders is what makes Julius Caesar an intriguing political drama. Freeman's direction doesn't seem to focus on either of these characters to the neglect of the other; front and foremost in this production is the relationship between these two conspirators. For their part, VanDenBosch and S. Gruber-Miller do an excellent job; they work together very well, and the scenes between Cassius and Brutus are played with a hot passion and a visceral naturalism that is, frankly, lacking in other parts of the production.

The realism in these two-person scenes is contrasted by the ritualism throughout the rest of the play. While VanDenBosch and S. Gruber-Miller do have their share of speechifying, John Gruber-Miller's Mark Antony is much less subtle and realistic. He's kind of a cartoon; an ambitious politician who's going to seize the opportunity to make name for himself hunting down the conspirators. This is quite effective in the moments where Antony speaks with violence and rage, such as in the famous "dogs of war" speech, which is delivered with ferocity and uses the language in a very expressive manner. This style falls apart, however, during the more nuanced moments.

When Mark Antony gives Caesar's eulogy in II.iii, one of the most famous uses of irony in literature, J. Gruber-Miller's vocal style comes off as too plain, too blunt, and it fails to show the cunning nature of Antony's gambit. He doesn't seem to connect with the crowd, but barrels right through the speech, missing lots of opportunities for playfulness and humor. Antony was better in the second half, but this moment was definitely a let-down. The style seems to be a deliberate choice, and it makes sense: if we are to focus on the differences between Cassius and Brutus and still have the energy to keep the plot moving along, Antony needs to be a bit of a monster. I prefer a more three-dimensional monster, however, and he doesn't come off here as someone who's more clever than Brutus in addition to being more powerful more ruthless, which is a shame.

The ensemble does a great job in the crowd scenes, and in filling out this world in general. It's a smaller cast than you would expect for such an ambitious show, and most everyone plays multiple roles. Braden Rood and Duane Larson stand out in particular with some entertaining character-acting, but everyone does their part to create this type of hive-mind street gang that is Freeman's Rome. Portrayed in simple, brutal terms with padded bats and cap guns, the fight scenes are well-staged and intense.

Open Arenas Productions has created a very imaginative, memorable production of one of Shakespeare's more captivating tragedies. While not every note was hit with precision, there is a palpable clarity in the vision here, and Freeman's Julius Caesar is an ambitious and engaging accomplishment.

Julius Caesar runs through July 28 at the auditorium in Mt. Vernon Middle School. Seating begins at 6:30; the show starts at 7:00.