Titus X: Andronicus with Earplugs

Titus Andronicus is one of the most notoriously violent of all of Shakespearean works, full of murder, dismemberment, rape, and even cannibalism. All of these extreme elements go along perfectly with the angsty energy of punk rock in all its various forms, be it hardcore, New Wave, or post-punk. It is unsurprising, therefore, that someone though to combine the problem play with three chords and a kick drum. Sadly, the current production of Titus X has an interesting idea marred by mixed execution; those who attend would be well advised to take advantage of the complementary earplugs at the door of the theatre.

Titus X began life in 2000, progressing through numerous productions and incarnations, including a reading at the Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival as Titus! The Musical?. The mastermind of the adaptation is NYU Musical Theatre Writing graduate Shawn Northrip, who has also written a parody entitled Ramona and Juliet, and Lunch, which will both be produced later this year.

For the uninitiated, Titus Andronicus tells the bloody tale of the titular Roman General (Peter Schuyler) and his vengeful battle with Tamora, Queen of the Goths (Francile Albright). Titus returns home in triumph, with Tamora, her three sons, and her slave/lover Aaron the Moor (Dwayne Thomas, in a kilt) in chained tow. He sacrifices her infant son as payment to the war time loss of his own numerous progeny, and though Titus is elected as the new king, he selects the lecherous Saturninus (Joe Pindelski, who plays many other roles) to rule in his stead. Saturninus, selects Tamora as his queen (in Titus X, he is swayed by her raunchy on-stage, erm, oral petition). Titus' only daughter Lavinia has married Bassinius (Ben Pryor, also in multiple roles), but Tamoras' sons lust after her. Aaron tells the boys to murder Bassinius, then rape and disfigure Lavinia. The Goth Boys do so, in this case to the charming chorus "I wanna get in ya, Lavinia". Titus' own two sons are framed for the crime. Feigned madness, another baby killing, and a very disturbing dinner party leaves a pile of bodies (including a member of the band) littering the stage at the final curtain.

Though some will regard a punk Titus as a non-starter idea, Titus X comes closer to working than the punchline of a concept would imply. However, there are major problems, some of the inherent in the libretto, some of them specific to this production. The music is VERY samey, even by punk standards. I would have loved to see the Goth Queen do a seductive, ethereal goth song, or even have Chiron and Demetrius pogo to a Ramones paean. Instead, we get an endless medley of churning Misfits tunes with a few brighter moments. The soul of punk is brevity, and many of the songs are far too long and repetitive. Additionally, when you could make out the over-amped lyrics, they often scanned poorly.

Our players, too, are a mixed bag. The affable band, particularly guitarist Bill Bob Bonson, were great players as well as occasionally taking part in the action of the plot. As Titus, Peter Schuyler brings a beefy charisma to his role as the weathered war hero, and Francile Albrights' Tamora struts and screeches fetchingly. As Lavinia, Laurie Davis' singing had me looking forward to the moment in the play when her tongue gets cut out (though her post-surgery duet with Titus was one of the hilarious highlights of the show). Dwayne Thomas is a stand-out as the gleefully villainous Aaron, his performance charged with lust, hate, and maniacal humor. 

And this last element is the major saving grace of Titus X; humor. Northrip and director Peter Sanfilippo make the wise decision of playing the raunchy gore-fest for laughs whenever possible. The scene where Tamora's baby is revealed to be obviously from her black lover consists on a single popular expletive, repeated with every imaginable inflection. Titus' sons are played as bumbling emo nerds in Elvis Costello specs. The 11 o'clock number is a rousing ditty called "Death Pie".

Visually, the piece has the look of the the basement bar concerts that inspired it. Zaheed Essack had to deal with what appeared to be lighting problems at the Tank, with parts of the action happening in blacked out spaces on the stage. Makeup and Hair by Harmony Chaimberlain garishly evokes the heyday of CBGBs, and the uncredited costumes seem to have come from Hot Topic.

Titus X could be a more satisfying concert if the lyrics were clearer, the comedy was consistent, and the music were briefer and more varied. Perhaps future versions could be tightened up, but as it stands this is mostly sound and fury.

Photo Credit: Peter Sanfililippo

Top: Peter Schuyler 

Middle: Ben Pryor, Amanda Bond and Joe Pindelski
Bottom: (l) Ben Pryor (r) Pete Schuyler

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