Beware the Ides of March

A Selection of Speeches from Julius Caesar performed by me in the
Rhapsodize Audio rhapsody, A Shakespeare Gallimaufry

I am including images from the 1953 film version because this was my first exposure to the play and it still holds a warm place in my heart. Above you see the legendary John Gielgud as Cassius (left) and the formidable James Mason as Brutus (right). I learned much from listening to both these men handle the language. One could listen to Gielgud for years on end and still have more to learn from him. He was phenomenal. I actually performed a mini one-man version of the whole play within my We Are Such Stuff solo Shakespeare show in 2000. It included all of the speeches contained in the audio recording.

Brando is amazing when you consider he had never done Shakespeare before. I loved him when I saw the movie and when I was first listening to the audio highlights in the 1970s. Now I think he is just shouting and rushing through the verse, and Gielgud thinks he was doing a bad Olivier impression, but it's really quite good for the time and for a look at what a phenomenal force-of-nature actor like Brando could do with the role.

I'd like to perform in the play sometime, although I believe I may be getting too old for it now. My preferred part would be Cassius, although I would accept Caesar if it was offered me.