Caesar and Cleopatra

Political comedy at its best, Caesar and Cleopatra takes on the themes of imperialism and leadership as only George Bernard Shaw can. Set amidst the Roman conquest of Egypt, the play pits the mature statesmanship of Julius Caesar against the nave ambition of Cleopatra. It imagines Caesar's first meeting with Clepatra and their subsequent plotting as Caesar attempts to subdue Egypt and Cleopatra tries to eliminate her brother and rival claimant for the throne. Assassination and intrigue, romance and betrayal, all are dealt with in Shaw's inimitable comic style. Caesar and Cleopatra represents a mature Shaw, who revolutionized the British theatre by combining exceptionally entertaining comedy with incisive and relevant themes.