When Bell Shakespeare throws open its 2026 season in March, it will do so with daggers drawn and a republic teetering on the edge.

Peter Evans, the company’s Artistic Director, returns to Julius Caesar – a play he last staged in 2011 – at a time when the threat of autocracy is ever more present in our newsfeeds.

“This feels like a good time to be looking at the Roman plays,” Evans says. “Last time I directed Caesar, politics here at home felt unstable – remember the Labor shenanigans, then the Liberal ones? Now it feels international. I don’t think I was thinking so much about autocracy and tyranny then. But I certainly am now.”

Does he think audiences will draw parallels with current world leaders? Evans smiles. “Some people will find direct parallels, others will find resonances. That’s what excites me. The conversations that happen with the audience are the most interesting part.”

Peter Evans. Photo courtesy of Bell Shakespeare

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