ECU SCREENS will wrap up the fall season with a National Theatre Live production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the Raymond J. Estep Multimedia Center of the Bill S. Cole University Center.
Open to the public, tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for ECU students.
The fast-paced, modern-dress drama follows Caesar as he returns in triumph to Rome. Alarmed by the autocrat's popularity, an educated élite conspires to assassinate him. When they do, civil war erupts on the streets of the capital.
Nicholas Hytner's production thrusts the audience into the street party that greets Caesar's return, the congress that witnesses his murder, the rally that assembles for his funeral and the chaos that explodes in its wake. The production stars Shakespearean veteran Ben Whishaw as Brutus, Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) as Cassius, and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) as Caesar.
The Daily Telegraph describes the show as "A star-studded political cataclysm for our times." A review from the Sunday Times notes that it is "Noisy, visceral, ferociously paced and lethally pertinent' and adds that "this really is a Shakespeare for the 21st century."
The runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes and does not include an intermission. This production may not be suitable for small children as it contains violent scenes and gunshots.
ECU SCREENS expects to recommence next January with NT Live's widely praised production of Shakespeare's King Lear, starring Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men).
NT Live is the National Theatre's groundbreaking project to broadcast the best of British theatre to cinemas around the world. ECU SCREENS will continue presenting NT Live productions in the spring.
To learn more about ECU SCREENS, like the ECU SCREENS Facebook page. For more information about the Royal National Theatre in Great Britain and the NT Live screenings, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/. Dr. Rebecca Nicholson-Weir, co-director of ECU SCREENS, may be contacted at (580) 559-5929 or rnichlsn@ecok.edu for more information.
