The last time I saw Titus Andronicus, it was promenade-style, staged in the attic of an old Gilded Age mansion in Morgan Park. The audience walked through the play as it was happening, and the interaction could be intense. Redtwist Theatre is staging a new adaptation by co-artistic director Dusty Brown with Jordan Gleaves and Caroline Kidwell. The cast is a gender flip with powerhouse Anne Sheridan Smith as the conquering general Titus Andronicus and Sabine Wan as Andronicus' sister Marcus. Dusty Brown also directed this black box production with a deft touch. His keen eye for projecting the intensity of Shakespeare's visceral tragedy gives everyone an intimate view.
I have covered Anne Sheridan Smith in several Chicago productions; as always, she is a chameleon. Had I not seen the program, I would not have known it was Sheridan-Smith. Her range and subtlety enhance every role, from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas to the mid-century dive into the underbelly of genteel folk Southern Gothic. It's easy to turn Shakespeare into scenery-chewing with the complex language cadence and references to 16th-century society mores. Ultimately, madness and revenge are timeless, no matter the era. Sheridan-Smith takes madness to a frightening level. She is Titus, possessed by a need for revenge at any cost, with a searing gaze and a looming physical presence.
Sabine Wan is riveting as Marcus and takes on that possessed look when holding Aaron's (James Lewis) son's life in her hands. The hyper-vigilance of wartime is done well in this adaptation. Lewis goes from sinister to pleading easily, suggesting the convoluted nature of plotting and self-preservation. His acting style is naturalistic, and his street swagger fits in perfectly. His diction and delivery are crisp while scheming to play one side against the other for Aaron's purposes.
As the plotting and venal Tamora, Laura Stern combines danger with seduction. Tamora has become a slave and manages to slither into the bed of Emperor Saturninus (Joshua Servantez) with revenge in mind. Servantez is comic relief strutting down the stage in gold platform boots and gilded lace shirts. Servantez, as the preening and arrogant Saturninus, is a tonic for the blood and guts violence. Phillip C. Matthews' simmering rage as Lucius was the perfect balance for Saturninus' foppery.
Speaking of gore, Caroline Kidwell is magnificent as the doomed Lavinia. She is made mute and raped by Tamora's degenerate sons Chiron (Elijah Newman) and Demetrius (Quinn Leary). Kidwell holds the audience's attention as she emerges from victim to tormentor. Kidwell also has a gorgeous voice, having done a selection of 1960s folk and protest songs before the show. She accompanies herself on guitar with her silky soprano, singing "Diamonds and Rust." She looks every inch the innocent sylph in flowing chiffon or the doomed innocent a la Ophelia in Hamlet.
The parallels between Titus Andronicus and our country's politics of revenge and grievance are razor-sharp. You may have heard, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." While I won't say that this play was prescient, I will say that narcissism mixed with greed and power lust leaves everyone battered and bloody. The battle between Titus and Saturninus starts with a strategy to get more power and ended with everyone trapped like hungry rats in a cage.
The visuals of Titus Andronicus are great. Black box theater is challenging for any production, much less a Shakespearean epic that involves whispers behind closed doors and pits where the vilified dead are tossed. Eric Luchen's scenic design is done well with trap doors and escape hatches. Clare McKellaston's costume design is fantastic. Crafting costumes that could tear away or expand night after night is a wonder of craftsmanship.
The costumes are blood-soaked and battle-worn. The injury count is impressive, with one tongue cut out, three dismemberments, two graphic castrations, and multiple eviscerations. Special mention to ensemble member Madelyn Loehr. She plays several characters and all of them get bumped off. One character would be thrown in the pit and emerge from a side door as a different character. Each time Loehr was in a scene, the blood spillage would increase.
Don't wear something that needs to be dry-cleaned when you go. You have been warned. Also, Titus Andronicus is not for the squeamish. I love a good pie—savory or sweet—but it will be a minute before I indulge again.
I recommend Titus Andronicus by Redtwist Theatre. The new adaptation and gender twists work very well. The cast is riveting and watchable even when I wanted to look away. Doing this show in the confines of a small space is an accomplishment that deserves kudos. This was my first visit to Redtwist since they expanded, and I was impressed with the construction and design. There is room for the future of more great theater in the historic Bryn Mawr corridor. Check it out, and as I said, be prepared for some gore in the depiction of brutality.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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