Trump-like ‘Julius Caesar’ gets assassinated in New York play. Then came the backlash
Production that portrays Caesar as a magnetic, blond businessman with a gold bathtub, provokes heated debate
New York’s Public Theatre has defended its production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar that portrays the assassinated Roman leader as US President Donald Trump after Delta Air Lines and Bank of America pulled their funding.
The non-profit theatre said it recognised that its contemporary staging of the play, which portrays Caesar as a magnetic, blond businessman with a gold bathtub, had provoked heated debate. Actors and other artists threatened on Monday to boycott the two companies that ended their sponsorship.
“Such discussion is exactly the goal of our civically engaged theatre,” it said in a statement.
“Our production of Julius Caesar in no way advocates violence towards anyone. Shakespeare’s play, and our production, make the opposite point: those who attempt to defend democracy by undemocratic means pay a terrible price and destroy the very thing they are fighting to save.”
Delta and Bank of America ended their support of the production on Sunday, hours after Trump’s son Donald Jr. questioned in a tweet whether it was art or political speech.