Julius Caesar at the Fringe, Buckle Up and Race With Them.

Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare as adapted by Orson Wells, was first produced in 1937 and brought the play into the contemporary context. The Gangbusters Theatre Company’s presentation races headlong into the Wells’ version, leaping into the text with rage and thunder – and is now playing at the Fringe NYC. Buckle up and watch it.

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Full disclosure here, a friend of mine (Brian Newkirk) was in the show (although he is not a member of the Gangbusters Theatre Company) as Decius Brutus. I like his performance immensely, but I won’t review it here.
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Like the Orson Wells’ version, this Julius is dressed and staged in contemporary trappings. Ominous black outfits, Billy clubs, hunting knives and guns replace the togas and daggers of the Shakespeare version. Combine those costumes with the look of the Gangbusters Company, where severe haircuts and muscular men are the norm, and these actors bring an intimidating presence to the stage. This Julius Caesar Fringe production makes prodigious use of flashlights as lighting, fostering a sense of intimacy. The cast and staging pulls the audience directly into the emotion of the show.
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The cast played excellently off each other. Christian Levatino as Brutus was a stand-out, full of anger and regret. Both menacing and tormented, his conflicted feelings towards Julius played well in the small space. The rest of the cast worked extremely well with each other and within the space.
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Gangbusters brought a large cast for the Fringe, there were a total of 16 speaking characters. The commitment to the project was evident not only in the size of the cast, but their ease in the Shakespearean vocabulary. The cast invested themselves into the language and feelings and challenged the audience to keep up.
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This production of Julius Caesar is an excellent rendition of the show, ready tailored to today’s audience.
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Julius Caesar, the death of a dictator
Cast: Romel Jamison, Christopher Karbo, Christian Levatino, Anthony Annatone, Richard, Ruiz, James Gilbert, Patrick Hume, Mancini Graves, Brian Newkirk, Michael O’Grady Moriarty, Trent Hopkins, Laura Renault, Adam Kerbel, Stephanie Roche, Mary Kelsey, Kelly Lafferty
Director: Leon Shanglebee
Fringe NYC: Here Arts Complex (Mainstage)
Remaining Dates: 8/17 at 10:00, 8/20 at 4:15, 8/22 at 5:15
tickets
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Rating: Well Worth the Money
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What works: The Immediacy of the Production
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What doesn't work: Julius is killed so early, it is hard to be invested if you don’t know the story
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What you get to brag about to your friends: It’s a great treat to see Orson Wells’ adaptation done well
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