Aleesha Naqvi attends the King’s Shakespeare Company’s opening performance of Julius Caesar for ROAR.
From Roman glamour to Mussoliniesque austerity, with centuries-old language and uneasily familiar, Trumpian body language, King’s Shakespeare Company’s ‘Julius Caesar’ puts in sharp relief the inevitability of political tragedy. Director Jake Liu spoke to ROAR earlier this year about his decision to pitch ‘Julius Caesar’: “Some people prefer a more elegant tragedy like Hamlet or King Lear, but Julius Caesar is messy… It’s tragic because it is history, and nothing can be done to change it.”
In preparation for the show, Jake studied Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany, drawing elements of authoritarianism to reflect Caesar’s regime. These elements are especially obvious in the show’s inclusion of jazz music, a genre historically suppressed within fascist regimes, and thus associated with resistance. Producer Ellie Lambrou emphasised the importance of making the Shakespearian language feel real: she mentioned that Shakespeare can sometimes feel like a myth, rather than relatable literature to our generation. She argued that stories like Romeo and Juliet are not just literary texts, but institutions. Ellie spoke eloquently about her love for Shakespeare, defending the text’s accessibility: “it’s something we all have in common: we don’t know how we know it, but we all know it.”
A Shining Cast
While the play is named after Caesar, it really stars his killers, Brutus and Cassius, and his mourning avenger, Mark Antony. Emma Howard-Littlefield (KSC’s Romeo and Juliet) stars as Brutus; she is the uncontested star of this production. Emma owns the stage, maintaining chemistry with all her scene partners. She is one of the best student actors I have ever seen. With a voice choked with emotion, intense physicality, and genuine expressions, she uses every tool in her arsenal to deliver a shocking and poignant performance. If Caesar’s death falls flat, it only accentuates the true climax of the play: Brutus’s speech, Emma’s performance. Their voice is clear, emphasising the necessary dialogue to make audiences understand the meaning, regardless of their familiarity with Shakespeare’s language.
Cassius, played by Aryan Kale, is a worthy scene partner for Emma’s Brutus. Their natural chemistry is evident in their dialogue and physicality. Aryan is a commanding presence on the stage, precise in movement and dialogue. I enjoyed his portrayal of Cassius, a brooding, haunted figure, with a surprisingly soft centre. In contrast, Zoe Gray as Mark Antony was a remarkable choice; they brought charming wit, subtle mischief, and the depth of heartbreak to the character. Their speech after Caesar’s death, charming but fiercely manipulative, demonstrated the depth of thier skills as an actor. Cosimo Boothby’s dry and droll humour makes him the perfect Caesar; his references to Trumpian dialogue and gestures recall Lui’s insights on the constant threat of authoritarian states in history.
Production
Unfortunately, it is unclear which time period the play is meant to be set in. Actors use a mixture of swords, daggers, and guns to fight their enemies; they listen to the radio, use iphones, and wear a confusing variety of clothing. The sound effects of violence are not the clanging of swords but the pops of gunshots in the distance. However, the production team have made good use of the whole theatre. I especially enjoyed the ensemble characters sitting in the back of the house during Brutus’s and Mark Antony’s speeches, drawing the audience into the scene as they shout and cheer. Interesting lighting cues point towards the technical team’s prowess, and the unexpected use of the curtain to highlight Brutus’s Act II Scene I monologue exaggerated his anguish while plotting to kill Caesar.
The production could be improved mainly in the set design of the stage, where platforms have been placed on the floor for no discernable reason. Actors stepped on and off them randomly whilst talking in scenes. These platforms were oddly redundant in an otherwise meticulously curated production.
Congratulations!
Despite this, the show is enjoyable and entertaining, and as the curtain closes and the opening notes of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everyone Wants to Rule the World’ play, audiences are left captivated by the work and dedication of the entire team. ROAR wants to congratulations to the Production Team: Jake Lui, Ellie Lambrou, and Evie Korten, for a successful and entertaining opening night!
The King’s Shakespeare’s Company is running ‘Julius Caesar’ from the 3-5th of December 2025. Follow their Instagram for more information about upcoming shows.
