Julius Caesar (The Public Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (171)
See it if you have any interest in current events, certainly, or, better yet, you aren't much of a Shakespeare person but are open to seeing it fresh.
Don't see it if you can't see the forest for the trees or don't understand the concept of a parable. You want to stay as far from politics as possible.
See it if You want to see the hottest ticket in New York, and you watch the news each day with growing dread.
Don't see it if If you're a die-hard partisan of either side of the aisle. Read more
See it if you enjoy fresh takes on classic works; you want to think critically about our current world and how politics never seem to change
Don't see it if you do not want to mix politics and performance; you need a production that feels constantly active
See it if Well-done despite stunt/trump casting brouhaha and annoying hecklers at the production we saw on 6/16. Corey Stoll very good as Brutus.
Don't see it if Bring a seat cushion. Over two hours and no intermission.
See it if you enjoy making Shakespeare exceptionally relevant to today. Also if you like clever send-ups of Trump & Melania.
Don't see it if you like your Shakespeare to be thoroughly explored. And all the actors to understand what they are saying and not just playing "glib". Read more
See it if you want to see a modern take on the classic. It's unreal how accurate it is to current events without changing language.
Don't see it if you don't like interactive theater. Cast members act from the audience often and you might sometimes feel surrounded.
See it if would enjoy an updated to the times version of Julius Caesar
Don't see it if want to see something lighthearted or are trying to escape the every day realities of todays political issues.
See it if you like Shakespeare that is contextualized in modern day to provide contemporary relevance. Committed performances by great cast.
Don't see it if Shakespeare plays are too slow for you, you're a Trump supporter who inaccurately believes this production is glorifying assassination
Critic Reviews (38)
“Eustis’ interpretation of the play might just be the most effective Shakespearean production this decade as it links past and future forcing us to engage with ideas that have never hit closer to home. This is never more effective than when we learn that we have been sitting next to actors playing the Roman mob…By having the loudest voices erupt from the audience’s perspective, Eustis is giving power back to the public, reclaiming the theatre as the ultimate forum.”
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"I’m not sure I find director Oskar Eustis’s stylistic choices all that provocative, just obvious...Marvel is exactly that, a marvel with a Southern senator’s drawl with an astounding ability to whip a crowd into a frenzy using every tactic available in her magnificent funeral oration...The look and feel create a sense of dread especially with the parallels being so closely aligned."
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"The hyper-contemporary Trumpian veneer that’s been slathered over this production...does end up amplifying fleeting moments of close connection to our present day, but it does so at the expense of the play’s larger message...Beneath the cheap glow of the production’s heavy-handed Trump paint job is a superb cast...The nuance of the source material is too often sacrificed in the name of lightweight satire, cheapening the first half and muddying the message of the second. "
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"The parallels between the ambitious Roman emperor and our current commander-in-chief are evident in the text. Still, this modern concept, obvious as it is, brings a much-needed immediacy (and a little comedy) to the Bard’s often dreary history play...There’s plenty to praise in Eustis’ casting of the show’s primary roles...Not even Stoll and Thompson can make the play’s final section remotely interesting...You’ll be tired of lending your ears to petty philosophizing long before the final bow."
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“There's no denying the present version's entertainment value for liberal audiences. It doesn't matter if makes sense so long as it provides a valve for letting off political steam in these troubled times…For all the seriousness of what's depicted, the Caesar scenes play more like political comedy…than solemn historical drama about the abuse of power and the collapse of democracy…Caesar…dies midway through; once he's gone, the production's air, shall we say, begins to leak.”
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"Yes, the Trump look gets the laugh that Eustis is after...Granted, these notions are effectively amusing. But almost from beginning to end they represent a surprising misreading of the work...Julius Caesar was a renowned warrior, whereas we know Trump never served a day in the armed forces...Eustis’ casting also raises some questions...While so much of this whole undertaking is off-kilter, it is important to mention that there are well-done segments."
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"Eustis’ modern-dress staging at Shakespeare in the Park draws parallels, in broad strokes with thick Sharpies and neon-colored highlighters...Turning Caesar, an efficient leader, into a comic caricature makes little sense. It may be fun to watch but it also undermines the show’s powerful ambiguity...Busy and loud, the show moves at a fast clip...Some members of the cast stand out, though none more than the charismatic Elizabeth Marvel."
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"I was not prepared for the deconstruction of a play that made me wonder if I even knew this play at all...This production, Oskar Eustis and the Public Theater have gone too far...The show is so muddled and I blame this on Mr. Eustis as these are all winning and competent actors...Countless audience goers were left in shock, as was I. Violence begets violence and this was just in poor taste."
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