Julius Caesar by Secret Shakespeare at Reading Abbey Ruins

In this day and age, when we have grown increasingly comfortable with on-demand entertainment, so much so that we are more readily persuaded by massive productions and dazzling spectacle than by more subdued works, shows like Secret Shakespeare’s serve as a powerful reminder that art – theatre, specifically – is first and foremost about a human encounter, regardless of the package it comes in. Stripped of costumes, props and even a conventional stage, the company presents its version of Julius Caesar among the Reading Abbey Ruins, and it’s a theatrical gem. What makes it different from any other production of the Bard’s historical tragedy? By reducing the setup to the bare minimum, the words fully sink in; entrances and exits are carefully choreographed, allowing the audience to completely immerse in the environment, creating a complete breaking of the fourth wall in the truest sense.

The play begins at the Chapter House, a wide clearing where the highest walls among the Abbey ruins still stand. Director Gavin Leigh introduces himself and gives a few instructions for the upcoming promenade. And then it begins: some of the people in the crowd come to life and start performing as Cassius and Brutus, debating Caesar’s growing power. More performers join in: with no wings and no proper raised platform, they emerge from the surrounding grounds or side corridors, bearing the resemblance – in their clothing, their stride – of casual passers-by. Imperceptibly, a kind of game runs on the background of the audience’s mind: as the show goes on, one tries to guess whether someone walking their dog might be part of the next scene, or where the voice of the crowd cheering Julius Caesar might come from.

The acting is the main focus: dramatic, passionate and deeply engaging. The performers’ body language and expressions are compelling throughout. The final speeches are delivered with perhaps too much emotion for where the characters stand at this point in the play.

The audience is guided through the ruins – from the South Transept to the North Transept – never hastily or simply for the sake of movement, but with a perfect sense of balance in the pacing and timing of each sequence.

We know all too well that open-air theatre in the UK is highly subject to the whims of the weather. All the more reason to take our hats off to a company that cannot rely on a backstage area, changing rooms or even a canopy under which to seek refuge when not required for a scene. Be it hot temperatures, strong winds or rain, the cast remains undaunted: no umbrellas, perhaps only a waterproof jacket, hat or hoodie on only when the action calls for it, lying on the dusty ground or sitting casually on the stones.

The actors’ identity is shrouded in mystery, yet their skill and chemistry are beyond doubt. Casual attire, a compelling performance and a seemingly unstaged approach to staging make for an authentic take on the tragedy.