Julius Caesar – October 2026

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Steve Gerlach

Review by Peter Allwright

Anyone familiar with Alton Fringe comes to their new productions expecting the highest of theatrical standards, and their latest offering, Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” was certainly no exception. Director Steve Gerlach’s stated mission was to make the play as relevant as possible to a modern audience: regime change, narcissistic, boastful rulers, corruption, mob rule and mindless violence may have been part of recent history for playgoers in Elizabethan England, but those watching this interpretation were constantly reminded that, alas, these issues continue to dominate politics today.

A great deal of thought had gone into every detail of the production, including the musical accompaniment: the Bob Marley track about the fickleness and duplicity of friends before the first act began, and particularly the evocative four pieces by Mike Orchard performed by the on-stage choir, intensified the atmosphere – brashly celebratory at first, and much more reflective as the action turned increasingly tragic.

The only light relief Shakespeare offers us comes right at the beginning of the play, and Simon Applegarth was suitably cocky as the punning cobbler sent packing by the sober tribunes (Brian Arrowsmith and Michael Biddiss, as Flavius and Marullus respectively). The contrast between individual concerns and concerns of state, between the ruled and the rulers, was immediately established.

Louise Biddiss made a persuasive Caesar. Her clear articulation illuminated the meaning of every line, and her vainglorious smile spoke volumes. Caesar brushes away the prescient soothsayer’s warning (Cath Gerlach’s voice was urgent and assertive).

The tension between Cassius and Brutus was communicated with consummate skill by Lisa Felix and Sarah Castle-Smith. The former brought out every aspect of her character’s wily, impetuous nature, whilst the latter perfectly communicated Brutus’s more hesitant, high-minded caution and inner conflict, taking some time to succumb to Cassius’s blandishments and fake letters (dodgy dossiers, anyone?) The other conspirators, all dressed entirely in black, made for a sinister bunch of malcontents, of whom Simon Brencher’s Casca was perhaps the coarsest and most brutish.

In stark contrast to the conspirators, the wives of Brutus and Caesar (Jane Gray as Portia and Jane Samways as Calpurnia) were dressed in bright colours. This helped to mark them out as characters who are far removed, being women, from the wholly political concerns of their spouses. Portia in her white nightgown made a moving plea to know her husband’s plans, and Calpurnia likewise showed a tender concern for Caesar’s safety, defeated only by the insinuating flattery of Wing-Lam Wong’s Decius. These long scenes were excellently managed, and the tension was maintained throughout the stormy night.

The assassination at the Senate House was poetically done, straight hands standing in for daggers and red silk handkerchiefs for bloody arms. This worked very convincingly in a production where so many male parts were played by women. And after the deed was done, David-Waltham-Hier, as Cinna, made the lines “Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!” sound about as hollow as various American presidents have sounded after the overthrow of Middle Eastern dictators. We could already sense the chaos that would ensue.

Joseph de Peyrecave-Moore clearly relished his role as Mark Antony. From sycophantic flatterer to crowd-pleasing orator to enraged warmonger to his belated acknowledgement of Brutus’ nobility and selflessness, he dominated the stage throughout.

Special mention should be made of those playing the ordinary people of Rome, who brought the funeral orations quite literally close to the audience by stepping into the aisles and shouting their commentary from there. Both abrupt and malleable in their judgements (some of which were in a more modern vernacular, entirely appropriately somehow), they swung together from one side to the other. Perhaps Brutus should have allowed Antony to speak first. Once their blood was up, though, there was no stopping the indiscriminate violence, of which poor Cinna the Poet was the first victim.

The battle scenes which make up much of the fourth and fifth acts were dealt with briskly, the second half taking just over half an hour. Alliances are strained on both sides. The inevitability of further bloodshed was reinforced by the rapid pace. Again, there were no visible weapons as the corpses piled up. There was violence enough in the backcloth alone, where the dark cityscape of the first half was now covered by the yellow and red of conflagration after bomb damage. And again, Octavian’s final words, which talk of “the glories of this happy day” were made to sound aptly ironic and hollow.

The audience were invited to join in during some of the crowd scenes, cheering where required. This reviewer was far too inhibited to comply, but there were enough among the sizeable audience who did to create a sense of our involvement. I can only express yet again my admiration for all those involved in this production, including the two writers of scholarly and thought-provoking short essays in the programme. The Alton Fringe is a highlight of the local cultural calendar which we should all cherish. I look forward to their next production.

Peter Allwright