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Titus
Andronicus Group: KAOS Theatre |
| Tim Markham | |
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KAOS Theatre is rightfully renowned for its particular brand of fast-paced, visceral and highly accessible Shakespeare adaptations. Weighing in at a mere hundred minutes, this production of Titus flashes past in a frenzy of sound and fury, strong physical theatricality matched by uniformly confident delivery. Of course, such a paring down of the original leaves little space to explore some of the darker elements of the play. The disease-like march of political corruption cannot be revealed in all its festering glory, nor can the Machiavellian plotting of characters be given its full creeping, sinister development. Politics is reduced to a stun-gun effect in which there is no mediation - simply instantaneous vengeance and retribution - with the result that the catharsis of justice is left distinctly hollow. What the production does brilliantly is violence. Limbs fly, heads roll and blood flows to such a degree that the interval is not used to reset the stage but rather to mop the floor. This is not blood pregnant with the symbolism of politics, and neither is it the Reservoir Dogs style pastiche that much theatre has taken on board recently. It is simply, fabulously, gory - with just the right pitch of visual shock, absurdity and pain. The lingering presence of an armless, tongueless Lavinia is perhaps the most powerful example of this mixture of pity and absurdity. The blood-stained glass box in which various characters meet their demise is also uniquely striking. Lee Beagley in the lead role and Lisa Tramontin as Tamora establish the high-calibre credentials of the production from the outset. Beagley in particular imbues Titus with the gravity required by a character often depicted as merely just and occasionally pitiable. Double and triple roles for some actors meant that characters such as Tamora's sons were not always convincing, but the verve and sheer energy with which all the cast acquitted themselves meant that this was a consistently engaging and often assaulting show. 14
August to 25 August.
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