Des McAnuff’s Caesar and Cleopatra to Be Broadcast Dec. 26

By Andrew Gans
and Allison Klamkin
14 Dec 2009

Christopher Plummer stars as Julius Caesar in Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, which will be broadcast in high definition Dec. 26 at 2 PM Canadian time on Canada's CTV.

Directed by Des McAnuff for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the film was originally broadcast on Bravo! on April 4 following two screenings at Cineplex Entertainment theatres. This broadcast marks the first time the film will be shown in high definition.

Nikki M. James joins Plummer as Cleopatra, "the enchanting teenage queen of Roman-occupied Egypt. Their first encounter under a desert moon leads to a shift in history as Caesar teaches Cleopatra to overcome her timidity to become a determined player in the game of power politics," according to press notes.

Caesar and Cleopatra is produced by Plummer, Barry Avrich and Michael Levine. A DVD of the performance is available through the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Theatre Store.

The Stratford Shakespeare festival premieres its 2010 season on April 10, 2010, and features productions of As You Like It, Kiss Me, Kate, The Tempest, Dangerous Liaisons, Evita, Peter Pan, The Winter’s Tale, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Do Not Go Gentle, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and King of Thieves.