Youthful Stars Sparkle in Titus Andronicus

By Robert McDowell

http://www.cvnc.org/reviews/2005/072005/Titus.html

The Raleigh, NC-based Bare Theatre Company’s youth-theater production of William Shakespeare’s early, ultra-bloody revenge tragedy Titus Andronicus — which was presented July 27-31 at the Common Ground Theatre in Durham, NC — was a remarkable accomplishment. Director Carmen-maria Mandley pulled no punches in staging this bloodbath, set in ancient Rome at the time of the Caesars; and she coached powerful performances from the theater’s Rogue Company of youthful performers, aged 12-22. The show was ghastly, ghoulish, and great fun for those with stomachs stout enough to tolerate the succession of brutal murders and a rape, with arms and legs lopped off, tongues ripped out, etc.

Whether working with youthful or adult performers, Carmen-maria Mandley is one of the Triangle’s most imaginative and resourceful directors. She used every inch of the intimate Common Ground Theatre stage to great effect in staging Titus Andronicus.

Tall, thin, and wiry, with a shaven head a la Count Orlock in the silent horror film Nosfertu (1922), Jesse Gephart is impressive — if a bit creepy looking — as the emotionally volatile Roman general Titus Andronicus, who passionately loves his country and newly crowned Emperor Saturninus (Sam Mohar). Mohar was marvelously menacing as the jealous and vindictive emperor; but Anna Gettles was not nearly as scary as Tamora, queen of the Goths, whom became Titus’ mortal enemy after the general had her eldest son executed to celebrate his return to Rome after his conquest of the Goths.

Laura Jernigan was dynamic as Titus’ brother Marcus, an outspoken Roman tribune; Adam Patterson added a fiery portrayal of Titus’ banished son Lucius, who rallies the expatriate opposition to Emperor Saturninus; and Claire Wagner was sweet as Titus’ poor doomed daughter Lavinia, whose rape and mutilation by Tamora’s vicious sons Chiron and Demetrius (Brant Miller and Kat Randle) sets off yet another cycle of revenge.

But African-American actor Elijah Vick stole the show with his wonderfully wicked performance as Aaron the Moor. A villain’s villain, Aaron cuckolds Emperor Saturninus and orchestrates all kinds of murder and mayhem at the request of his main squeeze, Empress Tamora. Vick may well have the brightest future of all the rising stars on display in Titus Andronicus.

Bare Theatre Company: http://www.baretheatre.org/. Common Ground Theatre: http://www.cgtheatre.com/. Shakespeare Resources (University of Virginia): http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/shakespeare/. E-Text (First Folio, 1623, via UVa): http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/ShaTitF.html. E-Text (Globe Edition, 1866, via UVa): http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/MobTitu.html.