Fragile democracy and treacherous alliances
When civil unrest wracks Rome as the famine-ravaged underclass battle the ruling elite, a war hero steps into the spotlight to serve his nation—only to turn on it and seek its overthrow. Shakespeare’s rarely produced tragedy comes to visceral life in the intimacy of OSF’s Thomas Theatre, helmed by visionary director and OSF Associate Artistic Director Rosa Joshi in a powerful, movement-focused production featuring a cast of female and non-binary actors. Sean San José’s modern translation brings the story to the forefront, illuminating Shakespeare’s themes of ambition and delicate democracy that will particularly resonate during an election year.
Approximate running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission.
Notes to the audience: Theatrical haze, loud explosions, and alarms are used in this production.