Caesar and Cleopatra at Washington Stage Guild - A Smart, Splendid Season Closer
Washington Stage Guild, DC's foremost interpreter of George Bernard Shaw, closes its 40th season with a crisp and compelling production of Caesar and Cleopatra, playing now through May 3, 2026 at the Undercroft Theatre at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Avenue NW.
Shaw wrote Caesar and Cleopatra in 1898 as a deliberate departure from Shakespeare's portrayals of both figures — and it shows. Rather than centering a grand romance, Shaw imagines a 16-year-old Cleopatra caught in the middle of a power struggle with her brother Ptolemy over the Egyptian throne, and a battle-hardened Caesar around 50 who arrives in Alexandria with something new to occupy his mind: turning an impulsive, frightened girl into a queen worthy of ruling. It's a political story at its core, one full of wit, ideas, and Shaw's signature feminist undercurrent. As one of the playwright's least-performed works, it's a rare and welcome opportunity for DC audiences.
Artistic Director Bill Largess has adapted the sprawling, five-act script — originally packed with more than twenty named characters — into a focused two-hour production for a cast of six that keeps the essential drama between its two principals front and center. The result is a brisk, intelligent evening of theater that delivers exactly what Washington Stage Guild has always promised: smart theater for a smart town.
Craig Wallace brings tremendous authority and dry wit to Caesar. He plays the Roman general not as a conqueror enjoying his own legend, but as a man of strategic calm — someone who leads through presence and restraint rather than bluster. His portrayal captures Shaw's vision of a leader whose magnanimity is as calculated as it is genuine, and his scenes opposite Cleopatra crackle with the right blend of warmth and command. Hannah Taylor is a force as Cleopatra, committing fully to both the giddy, petulant teenager of the early scenes and the more self-possessed queen she grows into across the play's two acts. The dynamic between the two — youth and age, raw energy and measured control — is the heart of the production and it lands beautifully.
The supporting cast fills out the world of the play with real texture. Laura Giannarelli is a formidable presence as Ftatateeta, Cleopatra's fierce chief nurse, whose own arc quietly mirrors her queen's growing independence. Matty Griffiths gives Rufio, Caesar's most trusted soldier, a grounded, plainspoken quality that makes him immediately trustworthy. Chris Stinson brings a welcome lightness to Apollodorus, a traveling carpet merchant with more depth than his cheerful demeanor suggests. And Ryan Michael Neely navigates a satisfying double role — the scheming political operative Pothinus and a hilariously hapless sentinel — with ease and clear distinction between the two.
The design work elevates the production at every level. Scenic designer Jonathan Dahm Robertson's set uses bold geometric forms to suggest the Egyptian world, transitioning fluidly from temple to palace without a hint of clutter. Elizabeth Morton's costume design is a particular highlight, charting Cleopatra's evolution through increasingly elaborate and regal attire — each change in dress marking a change in the woman wearing it. Marianne Meadows' lighting bathes the space in rich, sumptuous color, and Thom J. Woodward's sound design sets the mood with well-timed cues that keep the story moving.
Caesar and Cleopatra runs approximately two hours with a ten-minute intermission. Performances are Thursdays through Sundays through May 3, 2026. Tickets are $60, with discounts available for seniors ($50), students ($30), and a limited number of $16 tickets at each performance. Tickets can be purchased online at stageguild.org or by calling the box office at 202-900-8788.