Harriet Walter returns as Brutus in a 90-minute all-female Julius Caesar
Harriet Walter is back as Brutus in a revival of Phyllida Lloyd's all-female Julius Caesar, staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). The production is running its final public dates at The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The show is a shortened version of the play. WhatsOnStage reports that it runs 90 minutes with no interval, a break in the middle. It carries age guidance of 11 and above.
Lloyd first staged the production in 2012 at the Donmar Warehouse in London. It was set in a prison, and every role was played by a woman. The Observer gave that production five stars and called it one of the most important theatrical events of the past twenty years.
This revival is part of the RSC's First Encounters series. Before the public performances, the production has visited five UK schools for residencies, where the company works directly with pupils.
The cast is led by Walter, who is an Olivier Award winner. The Olivier Awards are the main prizes for theatre in London. Jackie Clune plays Caesar, Jenny Jules plays Cassius, and Leah Harvey plays Marc Antony. Bunny Christie designed the set.
Julius Caesar tells the story of a group of Roman politicians who plot to kill Caesar, and of the civil war that follows. Brutus, the man at the centre of the plot, is one of Shakespeare's most debated characters. Lloyd's version keeps that central story while cutting the running time to 90 minutes.
The RSC's listing for the revival is titled "First Encounters Julius Caesar 2026", and it is shown on the company's website alongside its other productions. Anyone wanting to see the show in Stratford-upon-Avon should check the RSC website for dates and prices, as booking fees and ticket costs vary by performance.
The Other Place is a smaller studio theatre, so the audience sits close to the stage. That closeness is part of the appeal of the production's short, direct staging.
