Julius Caesar Iris TheatreIt is always a pleasure seeing one of Iris Theatre’s outdoor Shakespeare productions in the heart of Covent Garden, concealed in the sweet idyll of St Paul’s Church. Staged in the church’s garden, the company always sets its productions around utilising the grounds in every way possible, creating an authentic Shakespearean atmosphere, engaging and interacting with its audience in a way that would make the Bard proud.

Julius Caesar is one of those plays that, despite its heavy dialogue, politics and gory bloodbaths, tells a simple and universal story of friendship, betrayal and lust for power and its effect on men. Caesar is loved by the people of Rome, a great leader and respected by many. But with power comes ambition, and with ambition comes envy from the people closest to him. The senate refuses to let Caesar be the sole-ruler of Rome and despite being his close friends they conspire to kill him. Brutus, Caesar’s closest friend and a well-respected man of Rome, finds himself persuaded and seduced by other senate members to assassinate his friend for the good of Rome.

Julius Caesar is emotionally charged to the extent of human ability and the cast execute it with truth and charm. They are all great actors with a talent for audience interaction – a skill many actors still need to learn – but it is David Hywel Baynes’ troubled Brutus that gets under your skin and nips at it painfully as he embarks on the journey of one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragic heroes. Baynes has charisma and a fiery energy that leads the rest of the cast through the play with great performances from Nick Howard-Brown as the deceitful Cassius and Daniel Hanna’s edgy Casca to name a few. It is also worth mentioning a brave performance from Laura Wickham, the only female in a gang of rebellious boys. She takes on the parts of Portia and Calpurnia, two great female characters trapped in the merciless world of men, finding themselves worthless and passive in the men’s battle for power.

Director Daniel Winder has managed to create a mesmerizing production of one of the greatest tragedies and brought it down to the audience’s level, touching them up close, and enchanting them with a lightness that comes with the company’s outdoor concept.  Ian Latimer’s set design uses the potential of the grounds wisely and with a sense of play, and Joanna Beart-Albrecht’s costume designs transports us to a futuristic world free of the historical boundaries and limits that normally comes with this play.

Shakespeare’s take on the famous story of the fall of one of the greatest men in history is as relevant as ever in world where politics still overrule matters of the heart and people are willing to sacrifice friendships and love in order to make their way to the top. This production is visually magical and rural, and transports its audience into a world where anything can happen. Be seduced and escape from the busyness of Covent Garden piazza and into the wonder that is Iris Theatre.

Julius Caesar is playing at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden until 26 July. For more information or tickets, see the Iris Theatre website.