Review: Julius Caesar at St Paul’s Church

Julius Caesar
St Paul’s Church

Reviewed on Monday 1st July 2013

Iris Theatre's production of Shakespeare's historical and political tragedy begins unconvincingly but ends magnificently as this interior and exterior promenade piece meanders its way  through ideals of commonwealth and the corruptive nature of power.

This is a play of rebellion in which some, like Cassius (Nick Howard-Brown), partake for thinly-veiled dishonourable, selfish reasons whereas others, like Brutus (David Hywel Baynes), aim for a more noble goal. Their rebellion against the eponymous incumbent is avenged by the fiercely loyal and much feared Mark Anthony (Matt Wilman). No distinct moral line is drawn between the two sides and consequently the play lacks 'baddies'. Daniel Winder's direction does not give reason for the audience to make allegiance and thus I was left feeling a little confused with which characters to side.

The production begins quite “'A'-level”: we are presented with a prologue in the round by characters dressed in apocalyptic monochrome performing a drumming sequence and simple fight choreography, accompanied by quite heavy music. All rather clichéd. Fortunately, things quickly improve as the audience is physically led away from the first scene and sequentially around the grounds of the church.

We are soon confronted by David Hywel Baynes playing Brutus, who is able to show off his impressive and strong dramatic range; moments of true frailty mix with authority and passion in a truly captivating performance. The cast work excellently together, most playing multiple roles, and portray the high tensions of the piece well. Credit must be given to Nick Howard-Brown, who wins the award for best death! The small cast add to their number by employing the use of the audience, which enables the piece to find an epic quality as well as making the action more directly involving.

Director Daniel Winder must be praised for the inventive and effective use of space. The promenade nature helps to break-up the action into easily digestible chunks and ensures that boredom is never an issue. Even when the action leads the audience to a space already used, Winder finds something new to do with it. The lighting (design by Benjamin Polya) is incredible in its pure white simplicity, particularly for the celestial final scene in which the entire interior of the church, fully fitted with Ian Latimer's dramatic set, is consumed with smoke and light. Similarly, Filipe Gomes' three-dimensional sound-scape is impressive in its realism and its immersion.

This play is long and, being set mostly outside, you are exposed to the elements. However, the acting is strong, the direction employs ample variety and the unique setting makes this a very enjoyable and moving night of Shakespeare. I just wish a touch more thought had gone into creating a cohesive interpretation and the exploration of the multifaceted reasons behind the power shift was in sharper focus.

Reviewed by Ted McMillan
ted@westendframe.com

Julius Caesar runs at St Paul’s Church until Friday 26th July 2013.
Please visit www.iristheatre.com for further information and tickets.

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