Yunyi Dai was the designer for the playbill cover for Julius X now on stage at Folger Theatre
It is not necessary to be a Shakespeare scholar or a follower of Malcolm X to enjoy terrific theatre now on stage at the Folger Theatre.
Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is one of the best shows I’ve seen in Washington D.C. this year, thought-provoking and certain to appeal to all those who love the writings of the master wordsmith.
The timing with today's political chaos is remarkable.
It's an excellent staging in a lively, edge-of-your seat presentation, engaging even to a laywoman, a non-Shakespearean scholar like me, initially intimidated by the seeming complexities of the subject matter.
Using text from the speeches of Malcolm X and William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Al Letson, poet and hip hop artist has amplified the tales of the two men with his own brand to produce a marvelous, intertwined script.
Letson draws comparisons between the ending of their lives and their assassinations by associates and others worried by threats the men posed to their group's leadership.
Brandon Carter plays the lead role and must have spent hours studying film of Malcolm X to deliver his stunning performance.
Indeed, after the murder of Julius, Carter enters a scene in an abbreviated role, this time, a humorous portrayal of an old man bent on trying to solve conflict, waving his cane to audience delight.
The actors were powerful, but none overbearing, including the hated Brutus (Greg Alverez Reid) and his sidekick, Cassius (Jay Frisby) who succeeded in their quests to produce animosity and energize the crowd, the audience which joined the cast at the invitation of director Nicole Brewer who asked at the start of the show for our participation when needed.
We were only too happy to oblige, clap, and shout for Julius and boo and hiss the conniving Brutus.
More than the original playwright, Letson incorporates extra speaking parts for Calpurnia, Malcolm X's wife (Nikkole Salter) and Portia, Brutus's wife (Renee Elizabeth Wilson) who handled their roles with conviction and passion.
Abandoning his earlier weakness when he was overshadowed by Julius, Jonathan Del Palmer became a strong Marc Anthony who speaks vigorously when he commands the stage alone to say:
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
Hath told you Julius was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Julius answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, —
For Brutus is an honorable man;
So are they all, all honorable men, —
Come I to speak in Julius's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
Letson worked on his script for years, beginning when, as a youth, he was denied a role as Marc Anthony because of his skin color. He developed a love of Shakespeare and earlier, in the 7th grade, after reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X, those words remained, too.
Creative team members added immensely to the enjoyment of the show, like choreographer Shawn Short who wove fine dance design into the story.
Costumer Danielle Preston dresses the actors in mostly contemporary styling with Julius wearing the straight, dull apparel associated with memories of Malcolm X.
Porsche McGovern's lighting and Andrés Poch's projections were outstanding, the projections often suggesting mental turmoil and ... stormy weather.
In a pre-play interview posted at the Folger, director Brewer points to the play’s “medicinal value” which invites us to pause and reflect on where our communities, our cities, our country are headed, how our connections have been weakened and our divides strengthened, and she asks:
“Where have we been reticent in taking action, only to find ourselves facing more extreme outcomes later? Where have we lost trust and faith in each other?”
“Where have we been reticent in taking action, only to find ourselves facing more extreme outcomes later? Where have we lost trust and faith in each other?”
Other cast members are: Lilli Hokama, Gaelyn D. Smith, Shawn Sebastian Naar, and Dwayne Alistair Thomas.
Also on the creative team: Thom J. Woodward, sound; Isabel Simoes deCarvalho, props; and John “Ray” Proctor, dramaturg and voice and text coach.
What: Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare by Al Letson
When: Now through October 26, 2025 with a masked performance, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.; relaxed performances, Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 22, 2 p.m.; post-show discussion with the cast, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.; audio-described, Oct. 18, 2 p.m.; and open-captioned, Oct. 26, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street, S. E. Washington, D.C. 20003. Enter at Third and East Capitol streets.
Tickets: Buy online, phone (202-544-7077), or at the box office. Tickets start at $20 with discounts for groups, persons under age 35, students, seniors, educators, members and family of the military. Those under age 4 are not permitted.
Federal Employees: Buy and reserve up to two tickets for only $20 each through Oct. 5 using the code FEDERAL. Please bring proof of current or recent employment to Will Call.
Metro stops: Capitol South or Union Station
For more information: 202-544-4600 or info@folger.edu
patricialesli@gmail.com
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