Review by kaljic

Julius Caesar

There have been many modern adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, with varying results. This version of Julius Caesar is by far one of the best. The setting is a small, dictatorial African country, the players are African-American, and the finished product is remarkable. In even the most successful modern adaptation, the delivery tends to be a mind-numbing drone of Shakespearean of the lines with little thought to the cadence of natural speech. Most of the time, these modern adaptations seem unnatural and forced. Here, the natural delivery of the play gives new meaning to the play itself, allowing the viewer to see the dynamics of the conflict between the players. Julius Caesar is a remarkable Shakespearean play in that the main character is killed off relatively early, and while the remainder of the play centers on his assassins, Caesar always remains on the assassins' mind. This quality of the play is clearly demonstrated by this version of the play. The acting is top-notch, and its setting in a Central African country divided with internal strife give new meaning to the play. The acting and delivery of the play will keep you engaged for the duration.