Shakespeare in Rome is an unprecedented and unique theatrical proposal based on the four plays that the great English playwright set in the Roman Empire: Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Titus Andronicus. The show unites and condenses these texts in just over two hours from four different current dramaturgical views. The show is staged by as many directing teams, with the same cast of eight actors and actresses who play 47 characters.
The Centro Dramático Galego, a theater company from Galicia, created the production to take place in the emblematic historic center of Compostela, at the Noble Hall of the Pazo de Fonseca. The staging here guarantees maximum proximity to the public, and has now been adapted for the stages at the Mérida Festival.
CORIOLANUS
Is Coriolanus an enlightened despot? A traitor to his country? An impious dictator? A bloodthirsty general? Or just a puppet managed by his mother’s capable hands? How is democracy built in our times? And what is the place of the peoples in this process? Yesterday and today it is questioning and fear that stops us, and tomorrow?
JULIUS CAESAR
Festivities and games in honor of César for his triumph in the last battle against Pompey. Groups of citizens go full of joy to the place of the festivities and, with great excitement, they invite people to leave their work and join the celebration. But there are also sectors of the Senate, followers of Pompey, who are not satisfied with the new political reality; they recriminate those citizens, forcing them to retreat and accusing them of ingratitude for celebrating the blood of Pompey, a leader whom they celebrated and entertained long ago, filling his path with flowers. Casio, Brutus, Decius and other senators exchange common concerns about the drift that, in their opinion, is leading Caesar towards a tyrannical exercise of power that could culminate in his coronation and, consequently, with the destruction of the Republic. The conspiracy begins to spread.
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
After the murder of Julius Caesar, the Triumvirate formed by Octavio César, Marco Antonio and Lepido governs the territories under Roman rule. Mark Antony, deliberately oblivious to what is happening in Rome, spends his time in Alexandria in love with Cleopatra. The queen will be pointed out as the only one guilty of the abandonment of her beloved’s political duties. Cleopatra will collide their political and personal lives to position herself as the figure of power that is within the conflicts in which the Triumvirs join. The imminent victory of Caesar after several warlike incidents and the death of Antonio will lead Cleopatra to want to end her life because, having lost power and lost love, she will not subjugate the man of Rome.
ANDRONICUS TITUS
Andronicus, the heroic victor, returns to Rome as usual: another victory, blood on his hands, rich booty, a handful of slaves, and a few other dead sons for the family pantheon. He mediates the choice of emperor, gives the daughter to the man he does not love, kills one of his many remaining children and has a luxurious prisoner killed, without suspecting that he is unleashing the wrath of his mother, Tamora, the imprisoned queen of the Goths. . What follows is the epic of revenge, the stupid senility of Tito, the rape of Lavinia, the death of his wife, the execution of the falsely accused sons of Andronicus. Rome mourns the death of the innocent, if there is anyone innocent in this story. Times are in disarray, order is threatened by foreign force and the internal rottenness of the empire. I’m not going to tell how it ends, because all these stories end badly. Crime, absurdity, filicide, cannibalism… and a slight ray of hope.
Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Recommended age: Over 16 years.
Special Notices: Nude. surprising sounds.
