Caesar - more than just a salad.

Reviews

What the patricians think

(click here to read what the plebs say)

...for English speakers looking to combine ancient Rome, theater and the sense of humor essential for survival as a tourist in this most complicated of cities..
NY Times.com - Travel

There have been many plays written about Julius Caesar, but nothing quite like this! The Miracle Players, with their admirable style, have taken the complicated story of Caesar's rise and demise and have turned it into 40 minutes of comic mayhem.
Where - Rome

The Miracle Players have been entertaining residents and tourists with their humorous English language productions for over five years and now they are back... telling the story of one of the most famous Romans of all times: Julius Caesar.
Roma C'è

...The play keeps up the group's crowd-pleasing tradition of blending entertainment with information...
Cara - Aerlingus in-flight magazine

Un appuntamento sicuramente da non perdere...
Go Card

Arriva dalla collaudata compagnia dei Miracle Players quello che si preannuncia come il prossimo caso della stagione teatrale romana. Specializzata in spettacoli in lingua, la compagnia ha debuttato ieri sera nel Foro Romano... con una esilarante commedia ispirata alla vita di Giulio Cesare. Già il titolo è un inno alla comicità: "Cesare - more than just a salad", ovvero "Cesare, molto di più di un'insalata" (gioco di parole su un piatto della cucina internazionale, la Caesar Salad appunto).
Corriere della Sera

...Scritte a partire dalle opere di autori latini e greci come Livio, Plutarco, Giovenale, Cicerone, Svetonio, Cassio Dione, ma anche Shakespeare e le sue tragedie romane. I risultati sono brevi opere composite, dal ritmo serrato e dai tempi comici esilaranti, che riferiscono in chiave ironica episodi reali e letterari della città eterna. Lo stile è quello tipico del teatro di strada che fa a meno di scenografie, palcoscenici, supporti audiovisivi di sorta. Semplicemente si avvale di costumi neutri e attrezzi di scena (props), predisposti a caratterizzare i diversi personaggi e le successive fasi del plot. Così buffi cappelli, parrucche colorate, ombrelli, maschere, scope, accette, spade dadi, teste di cavallo montate su bastoni cavalcati all'occasione, vengono estratti e riposti in ceste a vista, con divertita nonchalance. L'impressione che se ne ricava è di una performance dove l'improvvisazione la fa da padrona, volutamente estemporanea, tutt'al più costruita sulla base di un canovaccio secondo il modello della commedia dell'arte. In realtà (e i teatranti lo sanno bene), si tratta di un effetto tanto paradossale quanto voluto, reso possibile da una solida struttura del testo e, aggiunge Bassanesi, da lunghi periodi di prove...
Europa

...in maniera ironica ci spiegano la Storia romana in maniera semplice, tanto che gli stessi attori riescono a capire cosa stanno dicendo!!!
City Roma

Omaggio a Cesare, i britannici al Mamertino
Anglosassoni per nascita, romani per amore. Hanno tra i trenta e i quarant'anni e due passioni: Roma e il teatro di strada. Rigorosamente in lingua inglese... Quaranta minuti di divertente spensieratezza con lo spettacolo Caesar - more than just a salad... "Veniamo da diverse parti del mondo anglofono - dice Eric Bassanesi, il capocompagnia - Siamo innamorati di Roma e abbiamo voluto dare un nostro scanzonato contributo alla storia patria"
Leggo Roma

...I Miracle Players raccontano la vita del condottiero in quaranta minuti di pura comicità...
Corriere della Sera

I Miracle Players tra le rovine
Ogni martedì e venerdì, all’ora del tramonto o poco prima (l’inizio dello spettacolo è alle 19,30 per approfittare della luce naturale), nei luoghi più suggestivi della Capitale (quest’anno proprio di fronte al Carcere Mamertino), i cinque componenti del gruppo teatrale Miracle Players recitano in inglese per un pubblico di turisti e non, che - per entrare - lasciano un’offerta libera. Cinque attori, cinque nazionalità: America, Australia, Inghilterra, Italia e Scozia. Rob Allyn, Giulia Bernardini, Eric Bassanesi, Denise McNee, Dyanne White. Mettono in scena testi originali, o adattamenti “comici” dei classici (Plutarco, Svetonio, Cicerone, Shakespeare...e anche Monty Python) e con l’occasione forniscono ai visitatori della Città Eterna un’occasione per fare un salto... nella nostra Storia, ma in inglese. Quaranta minuti stavolta per parlare di Julius Caesar: quanto conosciamo bene Cesare, in profondità? Qual’era il suo primo lavoro? Guerre, battaglie, gladiatori e amori. Ma Cesare aveva anche il problema della perdita dei capelli? Queste domande si pone la commedia scritta dalla McNee, Cesar. More than just a salad.  Gli spettacoli, che da giugno replicano fino al 13 agosto, coniugano ironia e “tragedia storica”, realtà e finzione. Loro giocano col miracolo, o meglio, lo mettono in scena, come vuole il doppio significato del verbo ”to play”.
Il Messaggero

... una divertente e utile commedia a cielo aperto...
La Repubblica

Rom - "The Miracle Players" er en engelsktalende teatergruppe i Rom. De spiller originale klassiske teaterstykker eller komiske bearbejdelser af klassiske stykker i historiske steder. Denne sommer opfører the Miracle Players komisk teater på engelsk i Forum Romanum lige ved Mamertinerfængslet (indgang bagved Piazza Venezia). Arrangementet er i samarbejde med Italiensk Kultur Ministeriet og Roms Kommune. I år kan man se forestillingen "Cæsar - more than just a salad", som fortæller om Julius Cæsar ikke så meget som romersk kajser og krigshelt, men hellere som almindelig hverdagsmand. Ved I f.eks. hvad Cæsars første job var? Hvordan han opførte sig, da han blev bortført af sørøverne? Hvordan blev han egentlig myrdet? Eller om han havde problemer med sit hår? Denne komedie giver svar på alle disse spørgsmål i løbet af 40 minutter, så længe varer forestillingen. Til gengæld kan man opleve de galliske krige, kampene mellem gladiatorerne og meget mere. Historien er baseret på de klassiske kilder (Cicero, Julius Cæsar, Plutarch, Suetonius, men også Shakespeare og Monty Python!).
Berlingske Tidende - Denmark

The people's voice

Caesar - More Than Just a Salad si basa su testi classici e antichi per ricostruire la storia e le vicissitudini di Giulio Cesare con un piglio comico, un'(auto)ironia invidiabile e una felicità espressiva che passa dagli attrezzi di scena, intelligentemente semplici quanto efficaci, alla verve interpretativa degli attori e delle attrici (tutti/e!!!), alla partitura comica del testo che coniuga la semplicità del teatro di strada (approccio diretto con un pubblico NON pagante, mentre turisti e curiosi gironzolano davanti e dietro il palco anche durante lo spettacolo) con l'immediatezza di intelligenti notazioni di costume, che rileggono velocemente, ma non sommariamente, il passato di Roma con il metro della storia contemporanea. ancora...
Alessandro P.

...and in 2004...

Thanks for that. As always we enjoyed it very biggly in heaps and bountifuls and plentifuls... and it was a real gas too!
Adrian M.

I enjoyed your show last week. As non-native English speaker I sometimes found myself a bit behind on the plot and all the gimmicks, but anyway... Just one hint to the part where you try to show something typically Belgian (I know the audience loved you guys NOT knowing anything about Belgians): show a beer, some chocolates or some chips (please don't take a German or a Dutch beer, because that insults all Belgians!), or read the comic strip "Asterix" to get inspiration for something typically Belgian... Hope to get to the forum soon again...
Bob W. - a Belgian...

Caesar . . . Not Just a Salad was wonderful fun and a delightful primer regarding the Augustan era.  High penta!!
Joe and Carmen O.

I wouldn't miss The Miracle Players for the world. Loved it all - you go on from strength to strength. Keep it up,
Maureen D.

Our last day in Rome was June 15th and my parents, my husband and my two children and I came to the Roman Forum to see the show, "Caesar - more than just a salad." All three generations enjoyed the show. My 7 year old daughter says, that the show was funny and she loved the people standing in the little boats. My 13 year old son said, the show was enjoyable and lots of fun. Both of my parents enjoyed the show, though I wished we had cushions for the stone stairs. Thank you so much for the information that I found though a Google search, and your e-mails.
Norma Gene D.

...[T]hank you so much for offering me (and Roman citizens and tourists) your lovely play. I only met you last year, when your performances were at the end of the season; this time I decided to invite my students and last week two of them came and enjoyed your entertainment... II would like to come again with friends as I really appreciated your humor about that extraordinary man called J. Caesar (even if sometimes I think he could enjoy Rome and Italy a little bit more...and leave Celtic Britain in peace). So, hoping to see you again soon, I wish you a pleasant summertime.
Paola

Amici, Cittadini di Roma, Cittadini del Mondo, datemi ascolto!
Anche questa estate del 2004, nel cuore della Roma antica, la compagnia teatrale dei “Miracle Players”, cinque attori venuti dai quattro angoli del mondo (o c’è un doppione o il mondo non ha angoli) recitano l’opera di Shakespeare “Giulio Cesare”. Era una tragedia quando l’ha scritta Shakespeare ma è stata trasformata dagli intellettuali della compagnia in commedia, anzi in un fumetto animato comico, scanzonato, ironico, come il nuovo titolo, “Giulio Cesare, non (è) solo un’insalata”. (continua...)
Helene Paraskeva

I haven't got any comments to include on your website but DID want to say that I think you're all fabulous, as do my 2 kids (8 and 11). We've seen the show 3 years running and hope to see many more!
Deborah W.

I really enjoyed it and look forward to your next production.
Brigitte C.

This show was both fun and educational at the same time--a rare feat! One of the highlights of our visit to Rome!
Larry S.

40 minutes of real fun!
Luisa S.

Well-done! The show was indeed more than just a salad, he..hee. This was our first time to see the play of Caesar in English and in a real historical place. Even though we live in Rome we mostly choise for a noisy evening. Our Children enjoyed your play very much, and what we liked most was the atmosphere during the show, topping with good sense of humour. We would be glad to see your next summer's show and would like to see you all again. Best wishes. Peace and Love.
Maria C. and family

I thoroughly enjoyed "Caesar...." It was a lovely surprise on my second night in Rome to sit in that incredible spot and watch your entertaining show. What a fabulous idea! How did you come upon it? If I may ask? I'm a big fan of classics and mythology and was in Rome as a storyteller at the International Oral History Conference. And, as my friend mentioned, that's what you were doing, so there was a nice continuity in that. Much luck in the future, I'll look for you next time,
Phyllis C.

I am an old fan and do not miss any of your wonderful performances. This time I brought with me an Italian neighbour/-friend and a 14 year old girl from Belorussia. They both loved it and Natasha (Belorussia) will be taking back with her lots of ideas for props which she will use at school (her English is excellent) They loved the wit, humour, and inventiveness and thought everyone gave a first-class performance. Congratulations.
Margaret F.

"Caesar - more than just a salad" - a wonderfully funny and original show - how clever to get many years of history into 40 minutes ! More people should know about this - if you are visiting Rome this is a MUST SEE ! Please please continue with the good work !
The Crooke Family

I went to see the play again last night for the second time, and I am pleased to say that you were splendid. In my opinion this year's play is not quite as good as last year's - but you all perform very well. I also admire the way you manage to overcome the problem of having no traditional facilities. I do hope to see you again next year. Sincerely,
Karen O.

I have really enjoyed your performances, so I'll be most happy if you keep me posted on your future activity. Sincerely,
Mirella G.

The play was great. We really enjoyed ourselves... I thought it was over too soon. Can't wait for next year's.
Jiannina S.

It takes a lot to make me laugh out loud, but I did, more than twice at your show. You're all wonderful, fun, smart and entertaining. The text, the performances and the magical backdrop confirmed, once again, that I made the right choice to move to Rome. Here's to your talent, your energy and your love of the performing arts. Thank you,
Dianne J.

I have a deep interest in the late roman republic, which I consider to be the height of the roman expansion, unlike otherwise told. It is a culmination of ancient Roman values struggling with too many imported values... Your play, with the illustrated event of Caesar's life, and the last days of the republic, is a pleasant souvenir of my second visit to Rome. Well done and thanks again.
Christian M.

it was truly a wonderful show and added to my very memorable and fantastic experience of Rome.
Laura D.

The show was hilarious. I've already recommended it to several friends, both expats living here like myself and guests travelling through. Thanks for putting so much care and effort into putting on a crowd-pleasing production!
Amy F.

Your performance on July 16, 2004 was exactly what 2 parents of 2 teens from California needed after a day of strolling through ruins and old rocks. Your bit of history was much more enjoyable for our kids to take than our mini-lessons. You made a great impression on our daughter an aspiring actor as well. The directions on your web site were perfect. Thank you and continued good-luck. -Randy P.

I enjoyed the show tremendously. I am an actress and do similar type of theater as the Miracle Players, albeit, indoors, so I was especially happy to be sitting on the church steps watching your very talented, clever and funny group perform "Caesar". For those of us who do not speak Italian, it was a pleasure to have some entertainment and enlightenment in English. I am happy to be an honorary member and will tell everyone I know who is going to visit Roma about you. Very truly yours,
Joan F.

What a hilarious way to spend a Roman evening learning about the history of the area. We've chuckled and laughed out loud at the antics of the Miracle Players the past three summers. And, we've encouraged our friends to go laugh as well. You cannot beat the hilariously informative scripts, clever acting, creative sets, and the backdrop of the Roman Forum. And, the bonuses are that the show is in English and it's FREE!
Kay C.

Laudati sitis (may you be praised)! My compliments for a wonderful show. Having translated 'De Bello Gallico' in Latin class, it was very funny to watch your interpretation (although it would have been nice to hear some of the Latin phrases instead of the English translation => 'alea iacta est' or 'et tu, Brute' for instance). The jokes were subtle but very very funny. And even for non-native speakers (like myself) the show was easy to understand because you all speak so clearly. Keep up the good work, I hope to see a show of yours again somewhere!
Lucy C.

Many, many thanks for the great show. It was one of the highlights of our visit to Rome, and believe me, it was a very busy visit - opera, outdoor musical events etc - but the evening above the Forum was definitely one of the best. Thanks, and keep up the good work. Very best wishes,
Andrea B.

This year is the third year that I've seen your show, which means that I've laughed my head off for three years....but don't worry, with the help of modern surgical techniques I'll be back again next year. However, as a resident in Rome I really miss the opportunity to laugh my head off during the winter months. I've found that the English speaking theatre on offer is a bit heavy and serious, or lacking that element of light hearted silliness that you do so well. So, if at all possible, could something be arranged? In any case, thanks for being so entertaining. To give you an idea of your value, I have a Scottish friend who said, at the end of this year's show, " I would even pay for that!" Praise indeed.
Glenys G.

Loved the show---and thought that the Miracle Players uphold the fine traditions of Roman Street theatre with verve and a sense of history. Cliff notes with jokes.
James D.

I really enjoyed your' performance in Rome. I hope to see you again soon. Keep up the fun, beautiful work. Tanti Saluti
Teri W.

We feel very fortunate that we happened to be passing , saw a crowd, and watched your play. Well done, informative and entertaining. Credo che andrebbe molto bene se presentate delle serate pure in Italiano! Auguri and best regards,
Tony C. and family.

My husband and I attended the performance of "Caesar - more than just a salad" during a recent visit to Rome. We were totally impressed with all of the actors and the text. What a delight! The lady beside whom we sat had already attended the play twice this summer! Thanks again for a great evening! We are so happy to be members of your organization and consider it a distinct privilege! Sincerely,
Jan G.

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