Julius Caesar

A man and two women stand in the corner of a white square, huddle around a phone. Hung above, a digital screen cube displaying the live feed from that phone's camera. They are all lit in cold white.

A woman, centre, in a purple toga covered in blood. Behind, a man in a red toga covered in blood films another woman in a blood stained toga with a smartphone. They are lit in cold white.

A man films a woman with a smartphone. Behind a square digital screen displaying art of Julius Caesar.

A man pointing a knife and a woman in a green jacket, filming themselves with smartphones. They are lit by the phones' torches.

A man and a woman film themselves walking around a raised platform with smartphones. In the centre, a digital screen cube displaying the live feed from these phones. They are both lit by the phones' torches.

A woman crowded over a bloody corpse, pointing a knife at a smartphone.

A long table littered with food and lit candles is centre stage, at the head, a man and woman crowded around a smartphone. Hung above, a digital screen cube displaying the live feed from that phone. They are both lit in purple.

A man standing in a smoke field, looking at a smartphone. He is lit in red and white.

A woman holding a crown above her head. Above, a digital screen cube displaying military footage coloured red. She is lit in red.

A man and woman on their knees reach to touch bloody hands. They are lit in cold white.

A shirtless man with the letter "R" painted on his back, holding a stick and a flare. He is lit in red.

Written By William Shakespeare

Sydney Theatre Company

Wharf 1 Theatre, November 2021

With Geraldine Hakewill

Ewen Leslie

Zahra Newman

Direction Kip Williams
Set, Costume and Prop Design Elizabeth Gadsby
Lighting Design Amelia Lever-Davidson

Composer and Sound Design Stefan Gregory

Video Design David Bergman

Video Editing Assistant Cameron Smith

Three outstanding performers will realise the entirety of Shakespeare’s most celebrated history play. Starring Geraldine Hakewill, Ewen Leslie and Zahra Newman, and stunningly reconceived by Artistic Director Kip Williams, this production is a thrilling dissection of power and moral corruption.

Caesar is riding high – after a string of military victories and prudent political manoeuvres he is the most respected person in Rome. But as word spreads of plans to make him an Emperor, a group of Caesar’s allies and friends gather to discuss their fears. Has the power and adoration gone to his head? Who will take up his mantle after he is gone?

Join us for a monumental study of power, moral corruption and democracy – that remains shockingly relevant to the modern world.

In an exciting new format for The Wharf, Julius Caesar will be performed in the round with the audience experiencing this thrilling production from all angles. The result will be an inventive, surprising and dynamic night of theatre that will bring new life to some of the most stirring speeches in Shakespeare’s writing and will put a new face to one of his most iconic characters.

Time Out

"the interplay between live performance, live video streams, and pre-recorded footage is deft and provocative"

Audrey Journal

"PRETTY DAMNED THRILLING, PRETTY DAMNED RELEVANT"

Limelight

"a bold, inventive production that speaks intelligently and imaginatively to the themes of democracy while embracing the role that social media plays today"

CAMERON SMITH

Composition, Sound and Video Design

Julius Caesar