“The Death of Julius Caesar”

Have you ever been betrayed by your best friend?

We have learned that God is merciful and stands for forgiveness “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” However, we need an indeterminable amount of strength and a higher level of emotional intelligence to forgive disloyalty and reclaim respect. Only our faith will guide us then.

The real Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times by senators at the Curia of Pompey in Rome on March 15, 44 BC. “Beware the ides of March,” as the Soothsayer warns Caesar in Shakespeare’s play.

Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar gave the real event a different interpretation, where 6 characters conspire, with Brutus, against Caesar. The famous scene shows Casca stabbing Caesar first.

However, the final stab “was the most unkindest cut of all” because it was Brutus, Caesar’s confidant, who dared to put an end to Caesar’s life. This act of treason left Caesar disheartened and vulnerable, humanizing —in a theatrical way— the pain one may feel when a friend betrays us:

And now the moment comes when the AP Language and Composition group gave a modern Peaky Blinders adaptation of the death of Julius Caesar. Caesar and his entourage entered the auditorium with the sound of the instrumental version of “Vuelve Candy.” Dim lights and Vincenzo Camuccini’s 1806 painting in the background set the atmosphere to prepare the audience for the crime scene.

This scene was rehearsed to be clean, elegant, and theatrical.

The Peaky Blinders or Conspirators walked slowly in a straight line right behind Caesar. Then, Ceasar stepped on stage to arrogantly dismiss Metellus Cimber —characterized by Emilio Pérez La Cruz— who was asking Caesar for a favor. Brutus —characterized by Marcos Gómez Sánchez— stood in the middle of the conspirators with a gun in his hands. When the music paused, Marcos delivered Casca’s line “Speak hands for me!”

Brutus shot Caesar in front of everyone.

Cyrus Josephs worked directly with lighting effects, emphasizing the climax. I was working with the gun shot sound effect, and students were persistently reminding me during rehearsals, “Don’t mess this up, teacher.”

Julius Caesar —characterized by Gustavo Marchand Torres— delivered the most famous lines: “Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar.” He dramatized the fall and died on stage.  

And now the moment comes when the senior Sebastián Fournier Ruiz-Cadalso declaimed Mark Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral. All this happened while Caesar’s body was covered by a mantle. Excellent oratory.

“For when the noble Caesar saw [Brutus shot],

ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,

quite vanquished him.”

The other Conspirators or Peaky Blinders were portrayed by Sergio Navarro González, Matías Fuentes Malavé, and Carlos Fonseca Sánchez. They were in character, as directed at rehearsals. Costumes and props helped all actors to convey a sense of truth in their performances.

Simply Amazing. 

I express my sincerest gratitude for their presence and commitment. Everyone in the AP Language group is included “so are they all, all honorable men” and were part of rehearsals and cooperated with feedback and camaraderie. Naturally, we read and analyzed in class Brutus' and Antony's rhetoric after Caesar's assassination.

The death of Julius Caesar was the closing act of our English Week’s Scene and Coffee Bean. Special thanks go to Gabriel Vélez Carillo and Professor Laura Vélez for supporting us by taking dramatic and artistic pictures.  

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

(Matthew 5:44)