Julius Caesar, believed to have been written around 1599, is one of William Shakespeare's best-known historical works. The events of the play follow the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar by a group of Roman senators and the upheaval of the state that followed. The recent production of Julius Caesar at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater used a cast of seven to portray a Dramatis Personae of more than thirty characters, similar to the style in which acting troupes would have performed Shakespeare's works in taverns and small cities of the time. The small size of the cast and the intimate setting of the Goldman Theater, in which the play was staged, combined to further immerse the audience in the action of the play. Like many of Shakespeare's works, it is unclear when Julius Caesar was originally written. Although originally published in the First Folio in 1623, there is a record of the play in the journal of Thomas Platter in September 1599 ("The Norton Anthology of English Literature"). Based on this document, similarities in meter and word choice with other Shakespearean works of the period, and reference to an unnamed play about Caesar's assassination in Hamlet, historians have placed the original depiction in early 1599 (Dobson and Wells 230). Assuming this date is accurate, it is highly likely that Julius Caesar was one of the first plays to be performed in the new Globe Theatre. Julius Caesar was perhaps the most influential man in Roman history. A decorated war hero, he was elected consul and was eventually offered the title of monarch, which he refused. Fearing his growing power and influence, a group of senators, including Marcus Brutus, one of Caesar's confidants, conspired...... middle of paper ...... physical aspects of the series to be in perfect synchronization with everyone. other for the entire duration. This production excelled in all of these aspects, managing to keep the audience captivated even during the longest exposition. The Orlando Shakespeare Theater is renowned for the incredible quality of its shows, and this one is no exception. Works Cited Dobson, Michael and Stanley Wells. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Print. “The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The 16th Century: Theme 4: Texts and Contexts.” » The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The 16th Century: Theme 4: Texts and Contexts. WW Norton & Company, 2010. Web. .Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Ed. Marvin Spevack. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. Print.