Lit Julius Caesar Final Script

first line

(walks in confidently and with purpose)  Alright, everybody, welcome back to ‘Pop the Balloon: Rome Edition.’ / I’m your host, Ant, or @lilmarkant. Today, the contestants are rating Juju Caesar / (exaggerated pause to build focus) to see who wants to kick him off the throne first. (energetic tone, host-like voice, and slightly exaggerated) (big smile and excited eyes)

after Samia’s: “Hey y’all, it’s Big Juju, not the little one, but y’all can call me Juju, obviously the catch of the century.”

Okayy, confidence. (playful and a little sarcastic) Y’all know the rules:/ if Big Juju says something that gives you the ick (Air quotes on “ick”) / pop your balloon and explain why.  And try to behave - Rome is watching, literally. / (subtle point to the audience, make eye contact with the audience = breaking the 4th wall)

after “Okayy confidence…”

 Alright, contestants, / time to introduce yourselves! (very upbeat) (passes the microphone on to the contestants)

after Lilly’s: “That’s because everybody secretly hates each other.”

Guys, chill, can we not fight before the show even starts? (forced laugh = tries to maintain control, is playing a mediator role) 

after Cayden’s: “Actually, Ant, production needs you backstage for a second.”

 Right now? (confused, slightly annoyed) (eyebrows raised with a skeptical look)

after Cayden’s: “Yeah, your mic’s messed up again.”

Why does production hate me? My mic is always messed up when something interesting is about to happen! (dramatic and complaining) 

after Cayden’s: “I’m just the messenger. Don’t get mad at me.”

 Fine. / Juju, try not to get cancelled while I’m gone, haha! [winks at Caesar (Juju)] (joking and light teasing = unaware of the danger to come)

after Sami’s “Et tu, Brute? I fall” and Caesar falls

 Oh my gosh, what happened?! / No… / don’t answer that yet. (shocked and fearful) (wide eyes and panicked expression)

after Lilly’s: “Great. This should go well.”

 (slowly steps forward) (mouth wide open) What did y’all do?/ Juju… (quiet and a tone of disbelief = complete opposite energy from before) (devastated facial expression)

after Lilly’s “What needed to be done.”

You stabbed him on a dating show! (sudden burst of anger)(gesturing dramatically at Caesar’s body)

after Molly’s: “It stopped being a dating show a while ago.”

 Big Juju… / No, / no, / no, / not like this. Oh, Juju,/ you were supposed to win this whole thing. (emotional voice, in denial) (painful facial expression and shaking head) [kneels]

after Adin’s: “Ant, listen to us"

 No, because five minutes ago, everybody here was smiling in his face, and now you’re standing over him. Is this some kind of twist elimination? / Look at what you’ve done! (anger → accusations, betrayed and disgusted tone) (stands up from kneeling) (points at Caesar’s body)

after Molly’s: “ Rome needed change. People were too scared to say it because Big Juju made everybody believe disagreeing with him was betrayal.”

 “For Rome,” / (air quotes on “For Rome”)is that what you’re saying? So your solution was murder? (sharp, sarcastic, and confrontational)

after Adin’s: “We did what we thought was right.”

That’s what everybody says after doing something insane./ (shakes head in disbelief) I’m really trying to understand the logic (hand to head to represent logic), but all I’m getting at is y’all panicked and chose violence.  (angry but also intellectual tone) 

after Adin’s: “If you hear us out, you’ll understand”

 Okay…/fine. (reluctant) (small nod). [Antony shakes their hands reluctantly.]

after “Okay…fine”

(moves slowly from person to person) (firm handshakes and makes eye contact with each one) Crazy how fast people switch up. (quiet and a little passive-aggressive)

after Lilly’s:  Say what you want, Ant. Juju had it coming.

Wow. (flat tone) (judgmental facial expression)

after Harrison’s: “Just don’t turn the people against us.”

 Of course, this is all I want.  And I’d never do that…/ I’d never let my emotions get in the way of truth… (ironic tone = hinting to the audience he will let his emotions get in the way later) (slight and mysterious smile)

after Adin’s:  “Yeah. Let’s go address Rome. Prepare the body, then, Ant.”

(alone) (slowly paces around) Sorry, I need to say this. I was calm and even acted nice to these ‘butchers!’ /(very intense and angry voice, reveals all of his true thoughts about the murder) But this is what is left of the greatest man Rome has ever had. / (full of grief and sorrow) (gesture towards Caesar’s body) I believe a curse is going to hit Rome: a civil war, violence, and chaos everywhere. / And Juju is not going to rest; he will come back for revenge, he will shout ‘havoc!’ This terrible act of murder is going to stink up the whole world. Everything will feel like death. (expanding arm movements to represent chaos) 

after Cayden’s: “Ant! I work for Octavius. Outside is insane right now. People are posting clips, arguing, screaming; nobody knows what’s happening.”

 Is Octavius close? (desperate for an answer, very worried) (eyebrows scrunched to show worry)

after Cayden’s: “Yeah, he’s almost here, he’s on his way, he told me to tell you… Oh, Juju! [sees the body]”

 Hey, it’s okay. I’m feeling it too now, just seeing this made me emotional / Is your Octavius still coming? (gentle and kind to Lil Bro) (reassuring gesture) (melancholic face)

after Cayden’s: “Yes, what are you gonna do?”

 Go back fast, tell him what happened, and how Rome is not safe anymore. / Hurry! (more urgent and commanding) (points outward to send Lil Bro off)

after “Go back fast…”

But wait, don’t leave yet, until I bring this body into the center of Rome for public viewing. I’m gonna speak there and tell the truth. We will see how people react to what these ‘honourable men’ did.  (air quotes on “honorable men) (strategic and ironic to foreshadow his future speech) (turns to audience slightly to hint)

after Cayden’s: “ You think people will listen after all of this?”

Oh, don’t worry, / they’ll listen. (a little ominous) (all knowing smile)

[Antony looks at Caesar’s body.]

after “Oh, don’t worry, they’ll listen”

Look at him, Juju didn’t just get taken out of a game, he got his life taken away too early. / I will speak for Juju. / Not as a host or a friend, / but as someone who remembers what they did to him. (emotional → determined) (hand over heart gesture) (stand tall and straight at the end)