Performance Dates
28 Aug 2003 – 13 Sept 2003August 2003
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
28, 29, 30, 31 August
September 2003
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 September
Details
- Playwright
- William Shakespeare
- Director
- Sam Bettison
AddressBondi Pavilion Theatre
What if Peter Costello murdered John Howard? Or Kim Beazley took a knife to Simon Crean? Fly on the Wall Theatre Company (in association with ricochet working productions) brings ShakespeareÂ’s great tragedy of pride, envy and ambition into the 21st Century at the Bondi Pavilion Theatre from August 28th to September 13th .
“Julius Caesar is a telling look at the values and behaviour of political leaders and how far they’ll go to get what they want”, says director Sam Bettison. “After the events of this year - overseas and at home - it’s never been more relevant.”
Bettison, designer Kate Shanahan and a talented cast bring elements of clowning, music and new media to ShakespeareÂ’s text to take a close look at what really goes on in the halls of power - and just how far some leaders will go. And appropriately enough, itÂ’s set in a circus.
“We were looking for new ways to make sense of the play”, says Bettison, “and the symbols of the circus really suit the world of politics. They also open up the humorous, farcical elements of the play and make it even more cutting. Sometimes making people laugh can actually be more effective than making them cry.”
Bettison also sees the play as a study of personal integrity. “What happens when one man abandons his principles in order to preserve them? How do you deal with that paradox?” Given the questions currently being asked in parliaments around the Western world, it seems particularly apt.
Julius Caesar follows the success of Fly on the Wall’s first production, an innovative look at Shakespeare’s As You Like It, which packed out Sydney’s PACT Theatre last year and drew praise from the Sun-Herald for its “clever flourishes” and “exemplary minimalism”.
This time, Bettison and Fly on the Wall are going further - taking one of the worldÂ’s most famous tragedies into a world of clowns, lion tamers and song and dance. ItÂ’s a bold move, but Bettison is quietly confident.
“Theatre is about finding the best way to tell a story and make people think,” he says. “After all, who says tragedy has to be serious?”
“Julius Caesar is a telling look at the values and behaviour of political leaders and how far they’ll go to get what they want”, says director Sam Bettison. “After the events of this year - overseas and at home - it’s never been more relevant.”
Bettison, designer Kate Shanahan and a talented cast bring elements of clowning, music and new media to ShakespeareÂ’s text to take a close look at what really goes on in the halls of power - and just how far some leaders will go. And appropriately enough, itÂ’s set in a circus.
“We were looking for new ways to make sense of the play”, says Bettison, “and the symbols of the circus really suit the world of politics. They also open up the humorous, farcical elements of the play and make it even more cutting. Sometimes making people laugh can actually be more effective than making them cry.”
Bettison also sees the play as a study of personal integrity. “What happens when one man abandons his principles in order to preserve them? How do you deal with that paradox?” Given the questions currently being asked in parliaments around the Western world, it seems particularly apt.
Julius Caesar follows the success of Fly on the Wall’s first production, an innovative look at Shakespeare’s As You Like It, which packed out Sydney’s PACT Theatre last year and drew praise from the Sun-Herald for its “clever flourishes” and “exemplary minimalism”.
This time, Bettison and Fly on the Wall are going further - taking one of the worldÂ’s most famous tragedies into a world of clowns, lion tamers and song and dance. ItÂ’s a bold move, but Bettison is quietly confident.
“Theatre is about finding the best way to tell a story and make people think,” he says. “After all, who says tragedy has to be serious?”
Bookings
This production has concluded. Contact details are not available for past events.