Fiona wrote: <I've seen "Julius Caesar" played totally straight by BBC actors dressed as ancient Roman aristocrats, and I've seen it played by an alternative theatre company who portrayed all the charactes as working-class Chicago mobsters.>

But have you seen the two mixed up and played with characters from both thrown together and pretending they didn't notice? That's the crucial point here for me - Brian Croucher wasn't playing the same character in a different production, but a different character in *the same* production. Bit like the soapie characters who go to bed with one face and wake up with another, and no one's supposed to see the difference ...

<I also find your interpretation of Travis II a bit disturbing. So just because he has a regional accent, he's automatically a thug who has worked his way up through the ranks?>

S'not just (or even mostly) the accent. His whole demeanour and aura is more as a heavy (or heavy wannabe, he's really not *as* menacing IMO). With the exception of the rather lighter leather outfit and that mouth.

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