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Review: Titus Andronicus

Richard Elliott’s latest production might be set in the midst of a culture clash of 1960s USA, but it certainly does not pull any punches when it comes to good old-fashioned Elizabethan violence. With a body count that exceeds that of the notorious Hamlet, Titus Andronicus is not one for the weak stomached – this became clear early on as the usher advised that we avoid the front row for fear of being splattered with blood.

Other than overwhelming tragedy, the stage was dominated by Katie McGunagle whose wild passion and energy in the role of Tamora made her a highlight performance of the evening. Every bit the Queen of the Goths, the simple dramatic pause before her first line lent her the power that was maintained until the end. Andrew Laithwaite also gave a strong performance in the role of Aaron, successfully combining remarkable comedic timing with chilling, lip-biting menace, and growing more vulgar to the audience’s delight in the presence of the laddish Demetrius and Chiron (Matt Broomfield and Anirudh Mandagere respectively). Other notable performances included that of Edward Lewis as the gentle Marcus Andonicus and Lara Panahy as Lavinia whose violent desperation in the scene of her rape is easily the most disturbing moment of the show.

Shakespearian English was the cast’s own language, with the dialogue flowing smoothly and without the reluctant enunciation that is a common pitfall for amateur plays. Even the limitations of the set had their own bohemian charm – substituting paper planes for arrows and stamps for LSD drew appreciative chuckles from the audience. Whilst setting the action in the post-revolutionary Washington DC should have worked well in highlighting the play’s modern relevance, in my view there should have been more emphasis on the period. After the first debate between Bassianus and Saturnius (which seemed to hint at the recent Romney-Obama campaign) the 1968 theme seems to be remembered in costume only, which made the sudden blasts of Nancy Sinatra and Jefferson Airplane serve as reminders of the setting, rather than harmonizing with it.

This slight chronological incoherence detracted little from what was a wonderful rendition of a Shakespearian classic – a credit to both the creativity of the cast and the imagination of a playwright whose love of blood, guts and drama has stood the test of time.

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