Review: JULIUS CAESAR in the Don Lux Theater at Lift For Life Academy

For four decades, St. Louis Shakespeare has been introducing generations of St. Louis Theatregoers to The Bard’s Works on stage. They are closing out their 40th season with an effective production of Julius Caesar.  

Often sound design can be problematic when seeing shows with complex dialogue. The problems can be exacerbated by an actors’ pacing, articulation, or over-emoting. All those factors can lead to dialogue that becomes inaudible or difficult to understand. It has been a consistent problem that has plagued far too many productions in the St. Louis professional theatre scene this season with both plays and musicals. 

Director Aarya Locker has solved for that by creating a mostly static production of Julius Caesar with minimal blocking. Limiting the movement allowed her to placed focus squarely on the text. That strategy paid dividends with the actors’ articulation and projection. It was easy for the audience to hear and understand the Shakespearean dialogue in this production. Locker and this cast are commended for their exceptional projection. That is a massive victory, especially for an audience attending one of Shakespeare’s plays. 

Ryan Lawson-Maeske (Julius Caesar), Ricki Franklin (Mark Antony – in this production the director chose to change the name to Anthea to feminize the role), Chuck Winning (Marcus Brutus), and Sam Hayes (Caius Cassius) illustrated how an experienced actors present Shakespearean text with authenticity. Each of their characterizations and portrayals were conversational, natural, and believable.  

Making Shakespeare’s Early Modern Elizabethan English conversational and colloquial is difficult for actors. In this production there is a perceptible difference between the experienced actors in the leading roles and some of the supporting players in their ability to deliver the dialogue naturally. Many of the lesser experienced actors’ distinct articulation overshadowed the portrayals of their characters. 

That is not the case for the actors who played Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, and Antony. Lawson-Meske's bold Caesar showed perceptible arrogant ambition. Winning and Hayes’ chemistry as Brutus/Cassius is magnetic. Hayes is terrific convincing the loyal Brutus to join the assassination plot making Caeser’s line “et tu Brute” drip with betrayal. Franklin (Antony/Anthea) understands the nuances of persuasion in her delivery of Caesar’s eulogy that incites the Romans to avenge Caesar’s death. Franklin, Hayes, Lawson-Maeske and Winning all delivered shrewd performances.  

This production included adaptation by John Wolbers with editing by director Aarya Locker. In addition to playing Brutus, Chuck Winning designed and built the Roman column inspired set that was exquisitely painted by Samantha Reise and Kathy Doerr. Sam Hayes did double duty as Costume Designer, and Ryan Lawson-Maeske served as fight co-captain with castmate Mo Moellering to execute Todd Gillenardo’s fight choreography. 

St. Louis Shakespeare’s production of Julius Caesar is an excellent opportunity for high-school and college students studying this piece to see a decent staged production. Locker prepared her actors well and coached them to project with authority. The four leading actors deliver excellent performances that drive the story and create a mostly satisfying experience.  

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