Folger's Shakespeare Theatre: Julius X

 I do love to go to the Folger Library's Shakespeare Theatre to see a play.  In fact, I enjoy it so much that I was willing to walk nearly a mile to get there today!  The damned Metro System's Green Line was down for maintenance, so I had to take the Red Line to Union Station and the schlep my way over.  For me, that was a good 25 minute walk, and that partly because though I knew where I wanted to go--getting there with the United States Capitol smack dab in the way was not as clear cut a path as I wanted...

Besides the venue, what would draw me to make the trek (both there and back--though going back was easier being that it was also downhill)?  "Julius X" by Al Letson.  If you are an NPR-phile like me, you will probably recognize the name Al Letson.  Letson has been kicking around public radio venues for some years now.  He's most famous for his show "Reveal," an expose of various crimes and criminal enterprises.  He's a Peabody winning journalist and honestly a very interesting fellow.  "Julius X" was a project in which he combined the life of Malcolm X with Shakespeare's plays "Julius Caesar."  It was a fascinating conflation that preserved the heart of Julius Caesar while telling the story of Malcolm X from his return from the Hajj and its transformation of his message.  Harlem was substituted for Rome.  The Assassins took the place of Brutus and Cassius.  

It was a fascinating production made all the more dynamic by the use of various elements of African American cultural performance, both historical and contemporary: from call and response to rap.  The set was simple, but well used with the integrated Audio/Visual.  The costumes were elegant and beautiful.

As for the actors, it would be difficult to praise one over the other.  As an ensemble, they played very well together.  Brandon Carter certainly embodied the frame and magnanimous presence of Julius (Malcolm) X.  Jonathan Del Palmer's Marc Anthony was likewise every inch the faithful friend.  His delivery of the eulogy starting, "Friends, Harlemites, Neighbors, lend me your ears" was one of the real highlights of the production.  However, it was second to the speech given to Portia at Caesar's first memorial.  It opened the second half of the play and I'm not sure that it was original to Shakespeare, but it certainly should have been.  Renee Elizabeth Wilson gave a take no prisoners performance that honestly caused my eyes to leak.  From the first time I experienced her talent in "Radio Golf" at Round House Theatre back in 2023, she's quickly become one of those actors who never disappoints.

Congratulations to Al Letson for a worthy addition to the ever growing and varies cannon of Shakespeare inspired art.

Brandon Carter as Julius (Center).  Behind him L-R: Jonathan Del Palmer (Marc Antony), Lilli Hokama (Addara), Gaelyn D. Smith (Cinna) [Behind Julius], Jay Frisby (Cassius), and Dwayne Alistair Thomas (Flavus)

Members of the Chorus: Shawn Sebastian Naar, Gaelyn D. Smith, and Lilli Hokama

Brandon Carter as Julius X and Greg Alverez Reid as Brutus