Julius Ceasar (L.A. Theatre Works Presents)
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Julius Ceasar (L.A. Theatre Works Presents) Details
Review A gripping, classy affair, full of urgent plotting and whispered treachery. -- The Manchester GuardianThis production is a stellar example of the ensemble's talent. The production quality is excellent. -- AudioFile Read more From AudioFile Part of L.A. Theatre Works' The Play's the Thing series, this production is a stellar example of the ensemble's talent. There's a perfect balance between human voice and background music/sound effects. The all-American cast provides a fresh and equally professional approach to this classic, which is typically performed by British actors. In addition, the production quality is excellent; the depth of the "stage" seems apparent as audiences hear actors at different volume levels, which helps to suggest their proximity to the main character in each scene. Overall, Julius Caesar is a wonderful addition to any audio theater library R.A.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine Read more
Reviews
Beware the ides of March!Julius Caesar, perhaps the most loved of Rome's governors, is so warned. But what does Caesar have to fear from the people that love him so? It is not the people he should fear, but his compatriots in the government. As Caesar's popularity grows, so does his power, and there are those who are jealous. And so, on that fateful day, Caesar's enemies rise up against him, and he is slain. They will soon learn, however, that sins do not go unpunished.I am new to Shakespeare except for a couple of the plays that we read in high school. As I have grown older, and my reading tastes have matured somewhat, I decided to give it a try. Don't knock it `til you try it, that's what I always say. After listening to Julius Caesar, I can see that Shakespeare and I will never get along with one another. His writing is just beyond me. Still, I don't regret having experienced it. The work of Shakespeare has woven itself into our modern culture so thoroughly that I think people often quote him without even realizing it. It's good to know where the material comes from. It's like a liberal arts education: it's not the kind of thing you really need, but you never know when it might come in handy, especially if you ever appear on Jeopardy.The cast for Julius Caesar, listed below, was exceptional. Talk about an all-star cast! I'm sure everyone knows Richard Dreyfus from his many film roles, and I would guess that everyone probably knows Kelsey Grammer who played Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier. Also in the cast are L A Theatre Works regular Stacy Keach who starred in the television series Mike Hammer, and Jo Beth Williams who is best known for her starring role in the movie Poltergeist. The other names I don't recognize right off hand, except for David Birney who was part of the Ender's Game multi-cast.The cast was good as you might imagine, giving wonderfully dramatic performances. My only complaint is that they spoke too fast sometimes. For someone like me who is trying Shakespeare for the first time, the language is sometimes difficult to follow, especially when spoken too quickly.FULL CAST:Stacy Keach as Marcus BrutusJohn de Lancie as CassiusRichard Dreyfuss as Marc AntonyHarold Gould as CaesarJack Coleman as CascaJoBeth Williams as PortiaBonnie Bedelia as CalphurniaKelsey Grammer as MurellusJohn Randolph as Flavius and ArtemidorusArye Gross as OctaviusAlongside the voices of Paul Winfield, John Vickery, Basil Langton, David Birney, George Murdock, James Morrison, Andrew White, Rudy Hornish, Lee Arenberg, Jon Matthews, Josh Fardon, Paul Mercier, Arthur Hanket and Marnie Mosiman.