Julius Caesar

With The Hollow Crown currently screening, the BBC are in the middle of a bit of a Shakespeare festival, which explains the otherwise odd decision to screen this version of Julius Caesar. The last thing like this I watched was David Tenant in a TV version of his Hamlet, but that was months after it finished whereas this version is currently on tour in the UK. The plot is familiar to many, but in this version the political thriller is moved to a modern African dictatorship with an all black cast. Although some of it is filmed as it is delivered on a stage, the TV version sees it spread across other sets to make it more of a televisual experience.

It terms of the material, I did enjoy seeing this story again – I'm sure it will sound odd to those who are regular viewers of Shakespeare, but I cannot remember the last time I saw a version of Julius Caesar and I had forgotten how engaging the tale is and also how good the dialogue is. This version does it justice and it fits pretty well within the modern setting. The cut-throat violence of betrayal and cruelty works in the setting and the passion of the characters is complimented by the sweat on their skin, befitting the setting. The mixing of stage and locations is successful in some ways but not in others. It works when it comes to having a more intimate proximity or a more appropriate set but it must be said that the performances occasionally do not seem to recognise that the viewers are now within a few inches of their faces rather than in a large room.

This doesn't happen too often though and mostly the performances are good. The cast are all of Afro-Caribbean descent but this quickly becomes a non-issue as a "thing" because it doesn't matter in terms of enjoying the story. Paterson Joseph is not brilliant but he is better than I expected; after all this is the man that Theo Robertson described as having "less range than a water pistol", but yet here he delivers some complexity to his character and makes for a pretty good Brutus even if he never quite gets away from the feel of someone "acting" rather than "being". Nri's Cassius is better and is more convincing within his own skin. Fearon is strong as Mark Antony – in particular I thought he did a great job with his speech at Ceasar's funeral. Support is mostly good with solid turns from Andoh and Kissoon to name but two.

Overall this is not the best version of the play that you'll see but it does work pretty well. The modern setting fits the material really well and the delivery makes the most of it even if the change from stage play to television doesn't work in all regards. The performances are mostly good – none classic but mostly very good. A solid version then that is worth a look.

I am puzzled by the extremely low ratings of Julius Caesar (2012) here at imdb, especially since at kanopy the viewers have raved about it (also at Amazon, where it is available from Prime video). And justly so, in my opinion. Yes, Shakespeare appropriated stories about ancient Rome, so of course the question arises: who should play the roles, given that there are no ancient Romans around anymore?

In this production, the problem is solved by setting the entire play in a modern, post-colonial African country, with only black actors as the cast. Most of the acting was excellent and the scenes were somehow made to match the original text. I am impressed and encourage potential viewers to ignore the cranks.

This was beautifully well-done. Adapted for the screen, there are reminders throughout that you are watching what was originally a play. It could have been jarring, but instead I found it meaningful.

Paterson Joseph's emotional range gives so much depth to Brutus's internal conflict. Portia can very easily become "the hysterical woman," but Adjoa Andoh gave her strength and dignity amidst her frustration and despair. Giving the final scene with Brutus to Lucius, elevated their relationship to something very meaningful. Simon Manyonda won a much-deserved award for his role as Lucius.

I watched this twice, once before and after reading the book "The Racial Contract." It wasn't until the second time that I really began to understand the significance of Black actors speaking Shakespeare's words about what it means to be a citizen and free.

Cheap way to get publicity: make something European set in Africa. Make as much controversy as possible.

And ironically, this ends up being kind of r@cist. Why not put some original content based on actual African history? That would be refreshing. Some nuanced story with different story structure than the usual Greco-Roman plays.

But no, let's rehash Julius Caesar one more time to save actual creative work.

BBC is just a shadow of its past.

I watched this mostly because I enjoy watching historical movies and on occasion a well produced Shakespeare play. When I read one of the reviews I felt compelled to watch it for myself and discover why this take on Julius Ceasar would raise such wrath.

It was an entertaining play performed by African actors whom I believe that William Shakespeare himself would have been pleased to watch. In theatre actors and playwrights have a degree of artistic liberty to give the play a personal touch. I remember watching Ralph Fiennes play Coriolanus in a modern day Rome, the magnificent and talented Ian McKellen play Richard III in an alternate Fascist England, or another great actor Anthony Hopkins who played Titus. Orson Wells is said to have done a Fascist version of Julius Ceaser in the 1930's, and who doesn't remember Leonard DiCaprio in modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

This version of Julius Ceaser has a rich and beautiful African resonance to it and I love it. What makes Shakespeare so great is you can take any one of his plays and place it in any era or culture and it will always long familiar. Shakespeare understood people and bravo to the actors who played this version so well.