Picto Diary - 31 May 2017 - Play Day OSF
Above: Illuminations. Oregon Shakespeare Festival interpretive magazine on annual play offering. 31 May 2017.
Reading up from OSF play guide, "Illuminations," on next OSF play, matinee at Bowmer Theater.
"Julius Caesar", by William Shakespeare. — at Pony Espresso - Ashland.
OSF, Ashland, OR.
Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare.
THE STORY
Caesar returns to Rome as a conquering hero.
With his Roman army, Caesar crosses the Rubicon River into greater Rome, a no no in Republican Rome. Roman soldiers kept peace in the vast Empire, but we're regarded as a threat in Rome itself.
Caesar's boldness and his enormous popularity with the masses worries the guardians of the Roman republic in the Senate. Caesar, they fear, might have imperial ambitions at the expense of the republic.
Senators, plot against Caesar. Scheming Cassius prods, and respected Brutus temporizes, but conspirators finally agree to assassinate would be tyrant Caesar as a safeguard to preserve the republic.
Caesar Senate ally Marc Antony is left out of the group of scheming senators.
Assassination of Caesar, "to thwart tyranny," is carried out by Senate conspirators on Ides of March.
Antony apprised and shocked. Keeps cool with perps though. Asks only to speak at Caesar's funeral. Brutus grants Anthony's request.
In his funeral peroration, Antony damns Brutus and the Senate conspirators with faint praise. Crowd/rabble once supportive of Brutus and the Senate, now turns hostile towards Senate conspirators.
Brutus and conspirators escape Rome. Form army to destroy Antony and take back Rome.
Antony's army defeats Brutus, Cassius at al in battle. "Great Caesar's Ghost" gets his revenge.
BISHOP COMMENTS
1. "Julius Caesar" was the first Shakespeare play that I read/studied. 1962. Provo High School. 11th grade AP English. Mrs. Nelson.
2. Impressionistic, grey colored set, martial percussion and modern militaristic costuming contributed to ominous, stentorian atmosphere building up to assassination. Effective.
3. Key parts, particularly Antony, well acted.
4. Director's note draws parallel between the perceived threat of Trump and that of Caesar. Parallel is apt if you believe Caesar, as Antony proclaimed, loved the Republic and posed no threat to its undoing. Trump's platform, and follow through to date, demonstrate his desire to shrink central government, not to personally consolidate government power. Evil is with anti Caesar/Trump plotter, though not sure that this is what the director had in mind when she posited the parallel.
5. 2nd Act war dance battle simulations were fantastic. 2nd Act often seems an after thought post the dramatic assassination in the first act. 2nd Act of OSF's version could stand alone as a worthwhile presentation.
6. Great drama. Loved this! It's all good. Thanks Aunt Joyce and Eddie!
Above: Bishop and Aunt Joyce. Harvey's Place. Ashland, OR. 31 May 2017.
Pre play dinner.
Above: Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes from 1998 movie version of "Shakespeare in Love," Tom Stoppard screenplay.
Screenplay was adapted for stage, with Stoppard collaboration, and the play version debuted here at OSF this season.
Syrupy romance where female actor wannabe (No females on stage in Shakespeare's day) poses as male actor to realize her acting dreams.
She becomes muse to Shakespeare, inspires him, and frees him from writers block.
Play fun, well acted. Great period costumes!