Bard in a Box: The Ballad of Julio César

by Ruth Buchanan

FRIENDS! ROMANS! COUNTRYMEN! Have you ever wondered what would have happened had Julius Caesar NOT been killed when he was stabbed in the Senate house in 44BC but instead fled to Mexico, where he has been hiding out for millenia before returning to exact his revenge? Who hasn't! Making use of violence and deception worthy only of a tyrannical dictator, Julio César gains control of an unsuspecting high school English class. About to perform their own version of the The Bard's classic tragedy, the students suddenly find themselves confronted with a substitute the likes of which they've never seen before. With that, the shenanigans have begun.

Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

Ruth Buchanan is a Christian freelance writer and the author of seven books, four stage plays, and countless articles and essays. She is the Director of Literary Services at Build a Better Us.

Stars based on subjective enjoyment rather than merit.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I know the author. Well. I wouldn't have given this play a 4-star rating if it didn't deserve it.

Ruth has taken The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and made it very approachable for teenagers. Shortened it a lot, too.

The plot is that an escapee from a mental hospital, who thinks he's Julius Caesar, manages to take over an English class while they're rehearsing Julius Caesar. Crazy, right?

Add in references to The Princess Bride and Star Wars and it's just the sort of take on Shakespeare that kids will enjoy reading and performing. Most likely, their interested will be piqued enough to want to watch or read the Real Thing.