Julius Caesar
At Studio 58 until Feb. 26
Tickets: 604.684.2787
ticketstonight.ca
Heres the challenge: Studio 58s final-year students must perform some Shakespeare as part of their theatre program. This doesnt necessarily mean a full-scale, public performance but this year Julius Caesar was chosen for the schools 2011-2012 season. With a preponderance of women in the schools fifth and sixth years, director Scott Bellis had a situation that he solved by lots of cross-gender casting: Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Octavius and many of the conspirators are played by women in this production.
Does it take a while to accept Andrea Houssin as Brutus? Or Leslie Dos Remedios as Caesar, spitfire Agnes Tong as Octavius and Lindsay Winch as Cassius? Absolutely.
But fine performancesespecially by these four young women and a passionate performance by Tim Carlson as Antonyplus a bloody good tale of political positioning, make this an interesting exercise.
Amir Ofeks raked stage seems, at times to hove like a glowing blue spaceship; at others, Alan Brodies lighting makes that same floor appear to be an ancient Roman mosaic. Michael Sider puts the finishing touches on it with video projections that appear to make flames lick at the edges or water lap in a reflecting pool.
Interestingly, the scenes of violencethe brutal assassination of Caesar, the various deaths by sword and battle scenes (with fight choreography by Sean McQuillan)are as muscular and grisly as any Ive seen performed by male actors.
This is not a perfect show, but Bellis and his young cast do a creditable job of a difficult play. The central thrust of Julius Caesar is the moral dilemma confronting Brutus: can he be certain his motive for killing Caesar is pure? Was he, as fork-tongued Mark Antony eulogizes, really the noblest Roman of them all?
