Directing Act 3 scene 2 of Julius Caesar

Directing Act 3 scene 2 of Julius Caesar

Act 3 scene 2 is a pivotal scene in the play for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it develops the growing conflict between the conspirators and

Anthony. It creates the main division that ultimately leads to the ensuing war. It also introduces Anthony as a more powerful figure, as if he fills the vacuum that Caesars death left.

From a directing point of view, it is a very hard scene to direct, as we need to keep the suspense and momentum created by the juxtaposition made by placing this pivotal scene right after the last highly charged and emotional scene. In this scene, I want to try and create an atmosphere of anger and emotion, anger first at Caesar during Brutus' speech and then at Brutus himself during Anthony's, the emotion is in a way not only the anger, but also the grief that the plebeians feel at the loss of their leader.

Before the scene starts, a couple of actors in plebeian clothes take up places in the standing area close to the stage ready to divide the audience for when Anthony comes down among them.

At the beginning of the scene when Brutus and Cassius enter, I would like them to enter through the main back door onto the stage and walk towards the plebeians. Cassius then leaves with some citizens and exits back through the back door through which Brutus then follows to emerge a moment later in the main pulpit above the stage (see diagram

1-2). This is because it shows he thinks he is above all the citizens around him and asserts the air of authority that he is trying to make.

One of the main points I want to get across in Brutus' speech is the fact that he does not actually have any good reason for killing Caesar and that he has to try and promote the one point that he has. To do this, I want him to use a lot of emotive actions and tone of voice. In

Caesar's time when the people were mostly uneducated and easily led, this kind of speech would have won them over if it were performed well. If they got so caught up on one point, then they would forget that it was not actually a very good point and believe it feverantly until they could be persuaded otherwise by another speaker, such as

Anthony.

Brutus starts out by pleading with the plebeians to listen to him,

"Hear me for my cause, and

be silent, that you may hear…"

When he says this, I want him to say it almost desperately but still