Julius Caesar reviews — Page 2

I get it now, I didn't at first.

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Eh. She just worded it ambiguously.

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Updated On: 4/3/05 at 09:45 PM

Newsday Review

"That's AP, not Newsday. :)"

Oops! Right you are. Sorry

later.

AAAAhhhhhhh! Can anyone possibly be serious about comparing Colin Powell (hardly) and especially Condi Rice (not even remotely) to Brutus?!? Please, if you buy that for a minute, go see Julius Caesar, or better yet--read it. Powell might have been a Brutus (if only!) but for his performance at the UN on WMDs...anyone remember? If there was anything great about this production of JC, it was the rendering of the conspirators' motivations and the after-the-fact mourning/deification of the late-hated Caesar.

Shakespeare is wonderful, sometimes especially so when brought into modern contexts (political and otherwise)...but you have to be able to grasp the language, characterizations, and significance of action before you can make Condi Rice into a Brutus, let alone act a successful Brutus yourself.

And, given that--plus Condi's promotion to Powell's former position--you hold out hope?

Did Brutus resign or take a promotion under Caesar?...Maybe you saw a different show than I did.

Brantley's full review isn't up but here's the "summary" -- it sounds like it will be similar to the others -- appreciative -- OK -- lukewarm about Denzel -- certainly not a rave.

As Brutus, the most important passenger on Daniel Sullivan's fast, bumpy ride of a production, Denzel Washington does not embarrass himself, as leading citizens of Hollywood have been known to do on Broadway. But even brilliantined in the glow of his inescapable fame, he can't help getting lost amid the wandering, mismatched crowd and the heavy topical artillery that have been assembled here. In several shining sequences, Mr. Washington more than justifies his presence in this production, although it's telling that such moments usually occur during monologues, which require little or no interaction with others. But in the moment-to-moment dialogue and action that are the bulk of the play, this Brutus seems plagued less by moral and philosophical uncertainty than by actorly insecurity. Mr. Washington's voice becomes rushed and soft, sometimes to the point of inaudibility. And even when other characters are looking to the mighty Brutus for guidance amid chaos, Mr. Washington looks more apologetic than anything else. Under the circumstances, it's hard to blame him. Mr. Sullivan has populated his "Julius Caesar" with performers who seem to have arrived from different planets in the great galaxy of show business. The overall effect is bewildering in the style of a free-for-all concert in which opera, jazz, light rock and musical comedy are performed simultaneously. This means that the points of connection among the characters, essential to creating an emotionally stirring "Julius Caesar," are mostly nonexistent. — BEN BRANTLEY

haha. plum, i was thinking the exact same thing.

i wasn't arguing. i was just trying to articulate the points denzel made in an interview about the setting and characterizations of the play. obviously i'm not doing a good job and can't help you understand the point. i'm sorry.

Thanks Priest! At least someone understood what I was saying. I just haven't been able to word things the right way today. I was away from my computer since then, sorry I couldn't clear things up - though I bet I would have confused things even further.

Apdarcey, in my first post I was actually on the same page with you and Munk. I thought I was clear, I guess I wasn't. I like bringing new things (sets, costumes, lighting) to Shakespeare and my first comment was that I agreed with Munk, also that I thought bringing it to present day was a good and feasible idea.

I apologize to bring it back up, since the conversation has cleary moved past it, I just hate leaving things misunderstood.

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Oh good! *ducks out* Just wanted to clear the air. Didn't know what your "ugh" meant in a previous post. I don't like fighting on here (unless I am really bored ).

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Not that everyone doesn't have his/her own opinion on Shakespeare (and is sometimes entitled to it); I just think it would be great if people who comment on plays would actually go see them.