Review: Folger Theater's JULIUS X a Masterful Re-Imagining of Shakespeare's Classic

Any time you set out to write a play, there is the foundational concept of the Point of Attack; the precise moment at which you begin to tell your story.  The choice is crucial enough as it is, but when you take on a subject as fraught and as controversial as the assassination of Malcolm X, you must begin very carefully indeed.

So when Brandon Carter, portraying Malcolm X in the character of Julius X, quietly and humbly arrives, mid-aisle at the Folger Theatre, still wearing his white robes from the Hajj to Mecca, you know that playwright Al Letson has chosen wisely indeed.  The Folger Theatre’s production of “Julius X,” Letson’s heartfelt and moving treatment of the break between Malcolm and the Nation of Islam, a break which culminated in his assassination at the hands of his former brothers, is a cautionary tale for our time—and for any time. 

Letson has understood the links between this modern tragedy and that of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” for some time.  Both Caesar and Malcolm were charismatic public figures, and although they differed greatly in terms of personality and goals, both men were betrayed by those closest to them, with chaos in their wake.

Director Nicole Brewer has assembled a dynamic cast, with Carter as the centerpiece, and the evening shifts deftly back and forth from Shakespearian language to the syncopations of modern poetry, jazz, and of course hip-hop.  In structure it owes more, perhaps, to Greek tragedies with choral odes commenting on the action; but the verbal tapestry woven here is unforgettable.  A signature gesture, one that lingers in my memory, is the way the entire cast exhales in unison, at the conclusion of pivotal passages.  Tension, release; tension, release; Brewer guides us through some very gut-wrenching stuff, but humanely and with empathy.

The show opens boldly with the magnetic Gaelyn D. Smith, who as the poet Cinna serves as our Chorus.  She reminds us that this is not a historical drama, but more a dramatic fantasia on historic themes, with delicious rhymes to boot.  Letson’s language, from the very beginning, reminds us that the best homage we can pay to Shakespeare is to be the Shakespeares of our own time.   And every time Ms. Smith steps out to speak, the ears hang onto her every word.

There are strong performances at every turn; as the title character, Brandon Carter forcefully personifies this only slightly refracted vision of Malcolm X, and he delivers passages from some of Malcolm’s most famous speeches passionately.  Nikkole Salter’s turn as Calpurnia Shabazz, Julius X’s wife, is riveting.  Among the conspirators, Jay Frisby’s Cassius electrifies, cutting a very dangerous figure indeed; and as Brutus, Greg Alverez Reid is as sober and conflicted as Cassius is hot-headed and driven.  His funeral oration—with some language owed to Shakespeare’s original—is measured, and of course destined to fall on deaf ears. 

Jonathan Dahm Robertson’s set makes good use of the Folger space, with a second story and fire escapes rising next to the wooden pillars on either side of the stage, with a stoop down front at stage level. The domestic and the street scenes play out adjacent if not simultaneously with each other, and the 2-story effect also enables a powerful moment when we see Julius and Brutus, by now adversaries, at prayer, each in their own space, each with opposing intents, and each with that constant northern star in the forefront of their minds. 

Porsche McGovern’s lighting design extends to diagonal light strips across the stage floor, and Andrès Poch’s projections speak to the flood of emotions that Julius’ assassination provokes, as well as the fire in the streets.

One of the question marks, with any re-imagining of “Julius Caesar,” is how to handle Marc Anthony’s famous funeral oration.  As Julius X’s right-hand man, Jonathan Del Palmer deftly plays with audience expectations, beginning—as expected—with the famous opening lines, only slightly (and amusingly) altered for its Harlem context.  Once the obsequies to Shakespeare’s original are over, and the mutual nudging and winking is done, Palmer shifts to Letson’s own words, and lets loose to speak of Julius/Malcolm’s suffering, and that of his family.  The passion rings out, and it’s not a game of wordplay anymore, it’s deadly serious business.  The merely clever shifts in service of the urgently needed, and to good purpose.

As the action in “Julius Caesar” shifted from Rome to Philippi, Letson’s scene shifts from Harlem to Philadelphia, where two communities are now engulfed in deadly street fighting.  There is a bit of comic relief when an elderly pastor (played by a member of the company who has some physical comedy chops) tries and fails to reconcile the parties.  The ending for the conspirators, expected, is staged differently in harmony with the 1960’s context.

The play closes with an homage to the immortal Ossie Davis and a his brilliant funeral oration for Malcolm, a speech that rivals if not tops Shakespeare’s in its eloquence, delivered as it was in memory of a leader who never stopped reaching out, learning from others, and demanding respect for himself and his embattled community.

Production Photo:  Brandon Carter as Julius X (center) and ensemble.  Photography by Erika Nizborski. 

Running Time:  2 hours and 15 minutes, with one intermission.