This new production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar will co-ordinate with and introduce Te Manawa’s exhibition “Roman Machines”.  In the same way the exhibition demonstrates how the urge for power drove technology in the time of Caesar as it does today, the production explores universal and unchanging nature of political manoeuvring (and the enduring accessibility and relevance of Shakespeare’s text) by moving the action from Ancient Rome into a more contemporary context. 

It’s the mid 1980s, the decade of greed. Rome, Inc. is the biggest corporate empire in the world and Julius Caesar has just wrested the organisation’s leadership from Gnaeus Pompey. As new CEO, his power is immense and as soon as he is installed as Chairman of the Board: total control of the parent company and all its subsidiaries will be in his hands.

Caesar is supported by Sales Director, Mark Antony, an ex-athlete recruited to be the company’s celebrity face, and Marcus Lepidus, the reliable Quality Assurance Director. He has also managed to win most of the board over to his camp. 

Just below the top-brass, however, there is a group that is not so happy with the new order. Kay Cassius has just been promoted to head up the Finance Department, but with the title of “Controller” instead of the Directorial role held by her male predecessor. Decia Brutus has been told that Administration, which she manages, is a support service, Servilia Casca is struggling to get her work recognised in the male-dominated Logistics Department, and Caesar has repeatedly opposed Metella Cimber’s promotion to the board, despite her 15 years in charge of Customer Accounts. These women have hit the glass ceiling hard. Cassius, who understands they can’t break through alone, is bringing them together.

Marcia Brutus is married to Casssius’ brother. A one-time protégée of Caesar, Brutus is a popular figure in Rome Inc. and the only woman on the board. However, she has been side-lined into the traditionally female field of Personnel and her chances of finding a route to the top job are becoming increasingly doubtful as the new structure unfolds. Disturbed by the inequities she sees in operation and which she fears will become worse under Caesar’s leadership, Brutus’ genuine concern for the future of the company makes her exactly the person Cassius needs to be the figurehead for Cassius’ own boardroom coup. 

Directed by Joy Green, who has produced Manawatu Summer Shakespeare since 2010, and co-wrote & produced “Fakespeare” play Worse Things Happen At Sea with Adam Dodd, Julius Caesar: Rome, Inc brings together a cast and crew of highly experienced and award-winning Summer Shakespeare veterans like Bruce Sinclair, Mark Kilsby and Matt Waldin and emerging talents such as Jess McClean and Sasha Lipinsky who are playing Brutus and Cassius respectively.

The show performs on 5, 6, 7, 12 & 13 July, 2013
at Gallery 5 in Te Manawa
with performances nightly at 7.30pm
and a special matinee with Q&A relating to both the production and the Roman Machines exhibition at 2.00pm on 13 July – the exhibition launch date.

Tickets are $10 Waged and $5 unwaged, with special rates available for school and college groups. 

Email temanawa.casar@gmail.com for more details or bookings.

CAST:

Caesar’s household
Julius Caesar (CEO, Rome, Inc):  Bruce Sinclair
Calpurnia (his wife):  Felicity Riley
Octavius Caesar (his nephew):  Josh Parsons

Brutus’ household
Marcia Brutus (Personnel Director):  Jess McClean
Portius(her husband):  Samuel Gordon
Lucia (an intern who lives with them):  Stasha Bakker 

The Rome Inc. Board of Directors:
Mark Antony (Sales):  Matt Waldin
Marcus Lepidus (QA):  Charles Taylor
Marcus Tullius Cicero (Transport):  Mark Kilsby
Popillius Lena (Property):  Nic Green

The Conspirators: 
Kay S. Cassius (Financial Control):  Sasha Lipinsky
Servilia Casca (Logistics):  Lise Bakker
Decia Brutus (Administration):  Shivarn Stewart
Metella Cimber (Customer Services):  Rebecca Freeman
Caius Ligarius (Pompey’s former assistant, recruited to the cause by Cassius):  Eden Mills 

Others: 
A soothsayer, later Antony’s assistant:  Trent Pedley
Artemidorus (A reporter):  Tom Ryder 
Workers, mourners and policemen played by various members of the ensemble

Creatives:
Director: Joy Green
Tech Design: Luke Anderson

Production Design: Nic Green
Costume Design: Joyce Quah
Publicity Design: Adam Dodd
Photography: Josh Eastwood

Production Team: 
Stage Management: Megan Green, Ben Ogden
Tech Operation: Matthew Poucher

Theatre ,