Essential Caesar to charm Scots
A GEELONG-based theatre group is preparing for the ultimate finale of its Shakespeare-inspired production.
With an all-female cast, Essential Theatre’s retelling of the gritty tale of Julius Caesar will be staged in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The show concept was hatched around a Hamlyn Heights dining table, when a group of women read an edited version of the Roman tragedy.
The 80-minute show tells the dramatic story of the infamous dictator and his eventual assassination.
After three successful seasons in Melbourne, Adelaide and Geelong, it has been well-received by audiences and critics.
Essential Theatre has performed the show a number of times in the past year, including a two-week sellout season in the Melbourne Fringe Festival and six nights at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
The six-person cast also performed a sellout show locally at Geelong Cellar Door.
Artistic director Amanda LaBonte said touring the show had been a different ball game to simply performing it.
“It just isn’t suited to everyone,” LaBonte said. “You are together 24 hours a day, often in close quarters – sometimes the group dynamic works like a dream and sometimes it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, it’s tough, ’cos there’s no escape!”
The Geelong-based company has crafted a strong reputation across Australia and New Zealand on the back of its Shakespeare in the Vines performances over the past 15 years.
After garnering support interstate for its latest blood-soaked performance, the group set its sights on a bigger stage and made the decision to take the show overseas.
“It was during the eight-hour drive to Adelaide that the seed for Edinburgh was planted,” LaBonte said. “I looked at my business partner, Sophie Lampel, and we agreed that if Adelaide was a success not only on stage but off stage, then Edinburgh could be a serious possibility.”
The company has set up a crowdfunding campaign to take the six women across the globe.
“It is now only three weeks until we fly out to Edinburgh, and I can’t believe it” LaBonte said.
“Without sounding over the top, it really is a dream come true.” Julius Caesar will be showing at theSpace @ Niddry just off the Royal Mile from August 11-26.