I saw a production of Julius Caesar** last night that was performed as a comedy and there was a character named Lucius who was Brutus’ servant and he slept through virtually the entire play (the actor wore an adult onesie and had a baby toy to snuggle with). In the actual play was there really a character named Lucius who slept through the entire thing? Did Shakespeare put that in for comic relief or was this production playing up some aspect of the play where sleep is mentioned and they turned it into “Lucius sleeps through the entire thing including battles”?
I read Julius Caesar** in 10th grade, but don’t remember this. Google isn’t turning anything up either unless I’m not googling the correct thing.
I asked my friend who was in the play and he won’t answer me, so I don’t know if he thinks I’m criticizing the production or what- all I asked was pretty much what I asked here. It was very funny and actually worked well as a comedy. I’m mostly curious since it seemed so random and I’m curious as to why Shakespeare would include a character who sleeps all the time since it didn’t seem to have any relevance to the rest of the plot unless there’s something I’m not understanding.
*In the orchard scene with Brutus, he gives the audience the crucial information that the “Ides of March” are coming up, and hands Brutus the paper that Cassius and his cronies have thrown in at the window. Most of the rest of the time, Brutus is lamenting the fact that Lucius is asleep and not answering his call. *
Plus the fact that ancient Romans were a very tolerant people, and valued Adult Babies as national treasures.
They replaced all swords/knives with pillows and replaced all instances of the word “sword” with pillow. So Caesar was beaten to death with pillows and the Battle of Philippi was a big pillow fight that the audience participated in. The audience was also invited to bring props. Someone brought a sandwich so first Caesar took the sandwich and was offering it to the Senate, then in the scene where Brutus and Cassius were arguing after the death of Caesar they totally destroyed the other half of the sandwich.
They also added humorous ad libs, Mark Antony was played as if he were a frat boy (and Caesar’s lines were all spoken like he was a bro), and of course Lucius in his (well actually her, most of the male parts including Caesar and Antony were played by women) onesie and baby toy was funny.
I think anything can be made into a comedy depending on how its done and your sense of humor.
Ok, maybe not something like Schindler’s List**, but say, a Shakespeare tragedy.
And…in the most impressive version of The Tempest I ever saw, Ariel was played deadpan and serious. Instead of a tittering, giggly, tricksy spirit, he was perfectly serious about his business (even if the business itself was tricksy.) When he asked for his freedom, he did so with the noblest dignity.
Very different from any I’d seen before. (Ah…which ain’t many. Like, one.)
Do you mean the one with Christopher Plummer that they showed through Fathom Events?
I liked that one, especially for its portrayal of Ariel–the way she delivered the line “Mine would sir, were I human.” That line gave Prospero pause and made him more merciful to his enemies.
(Although I got a kick out of realizing that the last time I heard Christopher Plummer deliver the line “Our revels now are ended,” he was wearing Klingon makeup.)