The Royal Shakespeare Company's (RSC) production of Julius Caesar, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, is set to tour schools across England. This new version, edited into a tight 90 minutes, aims to inspire and educate a new generation about the play's themes of power, institutions, and social change. The production features an all-female cast, including Harriet Walter as Brutus, and is set in a high-security prison.
The original 2012 production of Julius Caesar was groundbreaking, with an all-female cast and a prison setting. The play was part of a trilogy, which also included Henry IV and The Tempest, and was made in collaboration with Clean Break, a theater company that works with women in prisons. The production was widely acclaimed and transferred to St Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York.
Director Phyllida Lloyd believes that the play's themes are more relevant now than ever, with institutions under siege in the western world and the rise of populist leaders. The school tour will add a vital new dimension to the project, with the cast working with students and exploring the play's themes and characters. The tour will include careers fairs, talks, and workshops.
Lead actor Harriet Walter is excited about the school tour, which she believes will allow the cast to reach a wider audience and inspire a new generation of young people. Walter, who has worked with Phyllida Lloyd on the original production, believes that the play has the power to change lives and challenge social norms.
The cast, including Jennifer Jules and Leah Harvey, have experienced firsthand the impact that theater can have on young people's lives. Jules, who plays Cassius, has toured schools and youth centers as part of her early acting career and believes that the play can inspire and empower young people. Harvey, who plays Mark Antony, believes that the play is a vehicle for social change and social commentary.
The RSC's Julius Caesar is part of a larger initiative to bring people from the criminal justice system, the education system, and the arts together. The production will work with women from HMP New Hall and will include a careers fair and workshops. Producer Kate Packenham believes that the objective of the production is to change the world, rather than achieve commercial success.
The cast and crew of the RSC's Julius Caesar are enthusiastic about the project, which they believe has the power to inspire and educate a new generation. The production will tour schools across England, with the aim of opening up conversations about the play's themes and the arts as a career. The project is a collaboration between the RSC, Clean Break, and HMP New Hall.
Key points
- The RSC's Julius Caesar is set to tour schools across England, aiming to inspire and educate a new generation about the play's themes of power, institutions, and social change.
