Bell Shakespeare to Tour JULIUS CAESAR

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Act 3, Scene 1

Bell Shakespeare will present Julius Caesar as the 2018 national touring production, directed by Associate Director James Evans.

Starring Kenneth Ransom (Gods of Egypt, Belvoir's Prize Fighter) as Caesar, and featuring an ensemble cast including Ivan Donato (Richard 3), Emily Havea, Louisa Mignone, Nick Simpson-Deeks and Russell Smith, this production will tour to 27 venues around Australia.

Julius Caesar is Shakespeare's political thriller, a masterpiece of intrigue and treachery. Stand witness to the assassination that leads to a life and death struggle for power in the Republic. Citizens mutiny, Mark Antony schemes, and the fate of Rome hangs in the balance.

After four years as Bell Shakespeare's leading director of productions for schools audiences, James Evans is thrilled to helm the 2018 tour, one of the most extensive undertaken by any theatre company. Evans said, "In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare explores what happens when fear infects a society and I think everyone can relate to that. Audiences will see a lot of themselves and their society reflected in the play. It's also just a cracking great story, full of action and some of the most incredible language Shakespeare ever wrote. It will be a really exciting night in the theatre."

Bell Shakespeare's General Manager Gill Perkins said, "Our commitment to a truly national reach is stronger than ever. For over 20 years we have presented the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries in the farthest parts of Australia; from Bunbury to Darwin to Launceston."

Julius Caesar will open in July at Orange Civic Theatre and tour nationally until November 2018.