Or at least that's how it seemed when CL attended (at Mooney's invitation) a dress rehearsal two days before the opening night (tonight at 7:45 p.m. at HCC Ybor).
In theory, Mooney’s concept is good; fitting a three-hour play into a single hour in order to “get a real sense” of the story and “why Shakespeare shaped this material the way he did.” In practice, the result is little more than a rambling monologue that’s difficult to follow or to understand.
The one-man show relies on Mooney’s interpretation of all the characters he mentions, as well as his own intermittent narration and footnote-like interruptions. He swishes his sash into a designated position, switches his tone, and boom, new person. Except, during rehearsal at least, the sash wasn't always in the right place and the different tones weren't really all that different.
The adaptation also relies on audience participation, asking viewers to read off assigned reactions from a slideshow screen. This could actually work and produce the hilarity and drama the director is looking for, as long as the words stay on screen long enough to be readable.
As it stands, Breakneck Julius Caesar is a few technicalities away from being decently entertaining, but also the same level away from being a chaotic mess.
And even if the little things are fixed by tonight, you might still need to be a hard-core Julius Caesar fan to appreciate the breakdown. The show is fast-paced, but the scenes Mooney performs, along with his explanations, may go over your head if you're a JC first-timer. His analysis seems tailored to those who are already familiar with the original.
Friday, May 12, at 7:45 p.m.; Saturday, May 13, at 12:30 p.m., and Sun., May 14, at 4:10 p.m. at HCC Ybor Studio Theatre, Performing Arts Building,1304 E. 11th Ave., 1st floor. $12 w/Fringe button.
For ticket information, go to tampafringe.org, visit Fringe Central at New World Brewery, or purchase tickets at Silver Meteor.
This article appears in May 11-18, 2017.