Julius Caesar (The Public Theater)
Closed 2h 0m
Julius Caesar (The Public Theater)
78

Julius Caesar (The Public Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets

78%
(171 Ratings)
Positive
83%
Mixed
15%
Negative
2%
Members say
Relevant, Great acting, Ambitious, Clever, Entertaining

About the Show

The Public Theater’s artistic director, Oskar Eustis, helms the Bard's play of politics and power, last seen at the Delacorte 17 years ago. Part of Shakespeare in the Park's free summer season.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (171)

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REF
22 Reviews | 4 Followers
95
Absorbing, Clever, Edgy, Ambitious, Intelligent

See it if you like Shakespeare; Are willing to think a little bit

Don't see it if you aren't comfortable with Shakespearean English. Read more

42 Reviews | 23 Followers
90
Entertaining, Absorbing, Great acting, Relevant

See it if You want a new interpretation of a classic story, updated for a modern audience.

Don't see it if You are offended by the source material and how it might relate to the current political climate. Read more

25 Reviews | 11 Followers
90
Thought-provoking, Great writing, Great staging, Relevant, Mirror like discomforting

See it if You appreciate Shakespeare in the Park as a theatre venue and are ok w/ obvious references to trump & current affairs

Don't see it if you're a traditionalist that can't appreciate how the text supports current events or hate non-traditional casting Read more

33 Reviews | 6 Followers
89
Absorbing, Clever, Great acting, Profound, Relevant

See it if you want to see an interesting take on Julius Caesar

Don't see it if you don't like free speech and a trump depiction upsets you.

39 Reviews | 10 Followers
89
Ambitious, Absorbing, Edgy, Great staging, Thought-provoking

See it if You want to see a quick moving, well designed version that's especially creative in the way it handles the mob scenes, making it more immers

Don't see it if You worship donald trump and/or don't realize shakespeare meant his plays to have contemporary relevance.

41 Reviews | 11 Followers
81
Great staging, Relevant, Absorbing, Ambitious

See it if you love seeing Shakespeare redone in modern settings. if you're into gender and race blind casting. if you like engaging ensemble work.

Don't see it if you're not into art being politically charged and relevant.

47 Reviews | 4 Followers
80
Absorbing, Great acting, Ambitious, Masterful, Thought-provoking

See it if you are interested in seeing how Shakespeare's plays have a direct relevance to the contemporary moment.

Don't see it if you're a big Trump supporter not much given to seeing your man sent up on stage.

41 Reviews | 8 Followers
80
Clever, Great acting, Edgy, Intense, Relevant

See it if You love the Bard and hate Trump. Modern D.C. setting and allusions to current events make it even more engrossing.

Don't see it if You can't handle blood, violence, loud crowds, or brief full frontal male nudity.

Critic Reviews (38)

Reflections in the Light
June 13th, 2017

"This production may have gone too far...I thought the depiction of Caesar as Trump was unnecessary. Audiences are intelligent and might have drawn their own conclusions, but this forced comparison seems a bit of a stretch...I didn't hate this production outright...Highlights of the park production are the inclusion of 'audience members' in crowd scenes...The play is fast-paced for a two-hour run, but suffers a loss of energy after the murder scene."
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Z
June 13th, 2017

“Shaved down to a scintillating two hours, this is a mighty gripping production…The performances are uniformly excellent. Stoll does a moving job with Brutus, the cerebral Hamlet of the piece…John Douglas Thompson is his opposite, the hotheaded Cassius…And Elizabeth Marvel lives up to her name as Marc Antony, a syrupy Southern accent putting just the right honey into Antony’s stinging words…It all adds up to the immediacy, the in-your-face intensity of brilliant theater."
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BroadwaySelect
June 19th, 2017

"Eustis’ imposing Donald Trump into the proceedings ultimately turns out to be a sour mistake–but not necessarily for the reasons that infuriated Delta and Bank of America...Seeing 'Juius Caesar' under any circumstances is always a worthy way to spend one’s time...It’s a marvelous play...So are they all honorable actors...Marvel is often accomplished...Corey Stoll as Brutus and John Douglas Thompson are especially potent in the post-assassination scene."
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F
June 18th, 2017

"The colorblind casting that made 'Hamilton' so incredible is amplified by gender-blind casting as well: who knew Marc Antony (played so brilliantly by Elizabeth Marvel) had a Southern drawl? The play gets progressively more immersive and more intense as it goes on...As Roman protesters appear loudly voicing their opinions, many audience members seemingly join the chorus of voices. It made the mere act of sitting in my seat feel dangerous and possibly even subversive."
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New York Theatre Review
June 22nd, 2017

“The performers, and this cast is overwhelming in the sheer volume and consistency of high talent, break past the barriers of forced topicality…Eustis’ topical read might be ill-conceived, but in practice it never sinks into shtick…Marvel’s Antony is revelatory...Cassius (Thompson) and Brutus (Stoll) are performed with profound earnestness. However, both an intense editing of the script compounded by the contemporary read go to undermine the emotional foundation of each character’s journey."
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N
June 10th, 2017

"This enactment may be one of the best of the plays inspired (or provoked) by the election and presidency of Donald Trump...This play is worth seeing for Thompson and Marvel, among the great stage actors of the moment...Quite a stretch to say it’s about people protesting against Donald Trump. But it makes a lively play!...Eustis’s take on this 16th-century play deserves a life beyond the Delacorte."
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