Julius Caesar with Brian Cox

In this Shakespeare Uncovered episode, actor Brian Cox investigates why The Bard’s classic tale of liberty against tyranny is viewed as a metaphor for the American experience: the birth of a Republic.

Succession star Cox played Brutus in William Shakespeare’s ''Julius Caesar'' at London’s National Theatre. He describes the role as the axis of the script and one of the playwright’s most extraordinary characters, but questions whether Brutus is a traitor or a great hero and defender of liberty.

Abigail Rokison-Woodall of the Shakespeare Institute discusses the play’s relevance during the Elizabethan era, while professor Ayanna Thompson analyses its impact on America in the 19th century. In present-day New York, Cox finds a production featuring the eponymous character dressed as Donald Trump.

What are the lessons to be gleaned from this classic tragedy?