By William Shakespeare Director James Evans
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BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIRECTOR JAMES EVANS NATIONAL TOUR 2018 THEATRE PROGRAM 1467_WESF - Arts Sponsorship Campaign - Impossible - Bell Shakespeare 2018 - Ad (1407)_V2.indd 1 15/06/18 12:50 PM Proud partner of Bell Shakespeare’s National Schools Program Bell Shakespeare’s National Schools Program inspires thousands of school children across Australia to learn and love Shakespeare. Believing that all Australians should have access to Shakespeare, Foxtel is proud to have supported Bell Shakespeare’s educational program since 1999. Foxtel marks are used under licence by Foxtel Management Pty Ltd. 1467_WESF - Arts Sponsorship Campaign - Impossible - Bell Shakespeare 2018 - Ad (1407)_V2.indd 1 15/06/18 12:50 PM COR0023_Bell_Shakespeare_FPC_A5_FA.indd 1 7/02/2018 12:21 PM Shakespeare’s work explores human experience at its limits. It was written to be performed. We ensure it lives and breathes in theatres, schools and regional venues throughout Australia, where his words can be truly appreciated. We value the beauty of Shakespeare’s ideas, language and imagery. His work helps us find modern perspectives on timeless truths. We believe Shakespeare and other great works are not stuck in the past. They are the lens through which we can explore and question the present, and imagine the future. These plays are not static. They’re constantly helping us make sense of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. And we’re not static either. We’ve been travelling the country for more than 27 years, bringing classic theatre to Australia, looking for new ways to inspire, imagine and ignite. Shakespeare and the other classic plays we present challenge our beliefs and urge us to see ourselves in a new light. Their ability to discover the things that make us human inspires us to make work that challenges preconceptions and encourages new interpretations and contemporary parallels — work that speaks to every age. Julius Caesar 5 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Gill Perkins I am delighted to welcome you to this production a shared experience allows us to explore of Julius Caesar, directed by our Associate our collective concerns and aspire to create Director, James Evans. a better world. The prequel to Antony and Cleopatra which May I thank the commitment of our donors and kicked off our year, Julius Caesar is one of corporate partners whose generous support has Shakespeare’s most well-known plays and long been the key to our success. Last year we is performed regularly around the world. It reached almost 150,000 people with our program is a play that seems constantly current and – the Company is truly honoured to have so many as we look to our global leaders in 2018, we loyal supporters who share in our vision. might well ask ourselves how much has changed. I would particularly like to acknowledge Our commitment at Bell Shakespeare is to a and celebrate our 20-year partnership with national reach and to making our work available Wesfarmers Arts. Their unerring support has for all Australians, including those who live been integral in enabling us to increase our outside capital cities. I am very proud that reach, particularly in Western Australia. It is this production will once again visit 28 venues a brilliant partnership and we extend to them across the country and thank the Commonwealth our sincere thanks. Government, through the Playing Australia fund, And last but by no means least we thank you, for their support in making this possible. our audience. I hope you enjoy this gritty, tense This, our national tour, is one of the most production of Julius Caesar. It is our pleasure to important things we do in pursuit of our share it with you. mission. Together with our Players companies performing in schools, Bell Shakespeare reaches every state and territory of Australia. The appetite for our work continues to grow which is testament to the importance of live performance and its ability to connect us to Gill Perkins each other. In an increasingly fractured world, Executive Director 6 Bell Shakespeare FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Peter Evans Julius Caesar is a play about power, loyalty, This is a production that is sure to spark debate conspiracy and politics. We witness the original among you, our audience. How is our world today pre-emptive strike and the irony of the similar? How is it different? ‘honourable assassination’ with all the carnage Through Shakespeare, audiences have been that a power vacuum creates. The characters are grappling with these themes for centuries. complex, diverse and varied; their decisions, Theatre has the wonderful ability to connect us whether good or bad, are informed by genuine with each other and with those who’ve witnessed beliefs and desires. Audiences will recognise this story throughout history. It is our pleasure themselves and their society in Julius Caesar, and privilege to tour this play and share this story a play that is never out of date and feels with Australians in 2018. relentlessly modern. The last time Bell Shakespeare staged Julius Caesar was 2011. While it was purely coincidental programming, you couldn’t escape the resonance with Australian politics, with leaders making entrances and exits at an alarming rate. Seven years on and we are in an age of politics, both in Australia and globally that we could not have Peter Evans foreseen. Artistic Director Antony and Cleopatra, with which we kicked off 2018, delves into the backroom dealings in politics, the decisions individuals make and their ramifications. Julius Caesar plays as a prequel. We see the formation of the conspiracy against Julius Caesar and the rise of Antony and Octavius. Though it was written more than 400 years ago, I cannot think of a more fitting play for our time. Julius Caesar 7 SYNOPSIS Caesar has returned to Rome, triumphant The triumvirate declare war on Brutus and after a war with the sons of Pompey. Cassius, who argue bitterly with each other. Brutus reveals that his wife, Portia, has During the celebrations, a soothsayer warns committed suicide. Finally, they agree to Caesar to beware the Ides of March. march on the armies of Antony and Octavius. Brutus, Caesar’s friend and ally, fears that the During the battle, Cassius, misled by erroneous Roman Republic will be destroyed if Caesar is reports of a loss, persuades his servant to crowned King. kill him. Cassius and others convince Brutus to join Brutus commits suicide after his army is defeated a conspiracy to kill Caesar. Brutus’ wife Portia and Antony praises him as ‘the noblest Roman of senses her husband’s unease and pleads with them all’. him to share with her what is going on, but he shuts her out. On the day of the planned assassination, March 15th, Caesar’s wife, Calphurnia, urges him to stay at home, but one of the conspirators, Decius, persuades him to go to the senate where the conspirators stab Caesar to death. Caesar’s loyal ally and friend Mark Antony asks to speak at Caesar’s funeral and uses this opportunity to turn the citizens of Rome against the conspirators. Brutus and Cassius escape and Antony joins forces with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus to rule Rome in a triumvirate. 8 Bell Shakespeare NATIONAL TOUR DATES ORANGE CIVIC THEATRE, ORANGE THE EVENTS CENTRE, CALOUNDRA 13–14 JULY 6 SEPTEMBER ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE PILBEAM THEATRE, ROCKHAMPTON 18–28 JULY 8 SEPTEMBER BUNJIL PLACE, NARRE WARREN MACKAY ENTERTAINMENT AND 31 JULY CONVENTION CENTRE, MACKAY 12 SEPTEMBER RIVERLINKS WESTSIDE PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, MOOROOPNA TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS 2 AUGUST 14 SEPTEMBER WANGARATTA PERFORMING ARTS ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE, ALICE SPRINGS CENTRE, WANGARATTA 18 SEPTEMBER 4 AUGUST DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, STATE THEATRE CENTRE OF WA, PERTH DARWIN 8–11 AUGUST 21 SEPTEMBER MANDURAH PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, DUBBO REGIONAL THEATRE, DUBBO MANDURAH 25–26 SEPTEMBER 14 AUGUST BATHURST MEMORIAL ENTERTAINMENT BREC, BUNBURY CENTRE, BATHURST 16 AUGUST 27 SEPTEMBER ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, GRIFFITH REGIONAL THEATRE, GRIFFITH ALBANY 29 SEPTEMBER 18 AUGUST WAGGA WAGGA CIVIC THEATRE, MILDURA ARTS CENTRE, MILDURA WAGGA WAGGA 23 AUGUST 2–3 OCTOBER ALBURY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, JOAN SUTHERLAND PERFORMING ALBURY ARTS CENTRE, PENRITH 25 AUGUST 5–6 OCTOBER ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO LAYCOCK STREET COMMUNITY 28 AUGUST THEATRE, GOSFORD 8–9 OCTOBER PRINCESS THEATRE, LAUNCESTON 31 AUGUST CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE, CANBERRA 12–20 OCTOBER REDLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, CLEVELAND SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, SYDNEY 4 SEPTEMBER 23 OCTOBER – 25 NOVEMBER Julius Caesar 9 CRY HAVOC, AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR Act 3, Scene 1 CAST CREW Julius Caesar Kenneth Ransom Company Stage Manager Nicole Eyles Metellus / Cinna the Poet Jemwel Danao Deputy Stage Manager Bridget Samuel Brutus James Lugton Assistant Stage Manager Sean Proude Portia Maryanne Fonceca Head Electrician Steve Hendy Casca / Messala Ghenoa Gela Head Mechanist Hayley Stafford Trebonius / Soothsayer / Pindarus Neveen Hanna Head of Audio Andrew Hutchison Calphurnia / Octavius Emily Havea Head of Costume Hannah Lobelson Cassius Nick Simpson-Deeks Costume Cutter Claire Westwood Decius Cinna / Lucilius Russell Smith Costume Assistant Brooke Cooper-Scott Mark Antony Sara Zwangobani Production Assistant Matthew Schubach Design Secondment Chelsea Maron CREATIVE TEAM Set Built by MNR Constructions Lighting supplied by Chameleon Touring Systems Director James Evans Freight provided by ATS Logistics Set & Costume Designer Anna Tregloan Lighting Designer Verity Hampson Composer & Sound Designer Nate Edmondson Movement & Fight Director Scott Witt Voice Coach Jess Chambers Assistant Director Nasim Khosravi 10 Bell Shakespeare IN CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR: JAMES EVANS Shakespeare was obsessed with leadership. Brutus justifies the decision to kill his friend In play after play he scrutinised failed leaders by literally commanding himself, out loud, and challenged beloved ones. This could have to ‘prevent’ the hypothetical rise of Caesar.