Titus Andronicus

‘Titus Andronicus’, a demanding and gruesome tragedy by Shakespeare, is presented by Perth’s first all female theatrical collective - Her Infinite Variety Ensemble (HIVE). This is the cooperative’s inaugural production. This two and a half hour production is showing at Subiaco Arts Centre Studio until 21^st May. All evening shows at 7.30 pm, with one matinee on Saturday 21^st May at 2.00 pm.

       We are welcomed by the tap-dancing narrator (Rhoda Lopez). She tells us how back in Rome after a ten-year campaign against the Goths – an army, of Swedish / Germanic decent, that plundered Rome in 410 AD – the rational, yet heroic, Titus Andronicus (Nicola Bartlett) returns with his captives. They are Tamora, Queen of the Goths (Tiffany Barton), and her diabolical Moor lover, Aaron (Shirley Van Sanden) together with three of her sons. Titus also having lost several of his own sons in the clash. As retribution, Titus’s son Lucius (Olivia Hogan) proposes a human sacrifice. Despite heart wrenching pleas from Tamora, her eldest son Alarbus, is chosen by Titus, who then hacks him to pieces.
       When the Emperor dies, Titus is asked to fill the post, but feeling his age, he declines suggesting instead the Emperor’s oldest son, the scheming Saturninus (Angelique Malcolm). Titus also gives his attractive, innocent daughter, Lavinia (Natalie Ryan-Brand) to Saturninus as a bride. Unfortunately Lavinia is already promised to Saturninius’ brother, Bassianus, who, with the help of Lavinia's brothers, gets her back. Titus is furious and kills his son Mucius for helping Lavinia. After all of this, Emperor Saturninus now finds himself in love with Tamora, so frees her and her sons, before marrying her.
        As Empress and with new power, Tamora plots revenge against Titus for the butchering of her son. Aaron, her ex-lover, sees this change in Tamora and predicts that she will bring about Rome’s downfall.
        Tamora's sons, Demetrius (Emma Jermy) and Chiron (Sarah Courtis), high on drugs supplied by Aaron, clash over the love of Lavinia, and so, on the advice of Aaron, they rape her during a regal hunt. At the same outing, Aaron is seen giving Tamora some written advice on how to bring down Titus, by Bassianus and Lavinia. Realising her plight, Tamora shouts for her sons’ help, accusing Bassianus of terrorising her. The sons kill Bassianus and rape Lavinia, she begs them to be charitable murderers but they continue to inflict terrible disfigurements.
         Later, whilst Titus's sons Martius and Quintus are looking into a pit at the dead Bassianus, they fall in. Tamora gives Aaron's letter to her husband, Saturninus, which accuses Martius and Quintus of Bassianus’ murder. The Emperor incarcerates the brothers, and with Lavinia – now a mute - being unable to offer defence, they are consequently found guilty of the murder.
         Titus's brother, the loving and pacifistic old Uncle Marcus (Helen Doig), Titus, and Lucius, are made an offer they can’t refuse by Saturninus. One of them must cut off a hand that Aaron will deliver to Saturninus, who will then release Titus’s two sons. Titus agrees to have a hand severed by Aaron.
         Will Saturninus fulfil his promise? Or will this be the end for the pathetic Lavinia and Titus? When the nurse (Claire Munday) arrives with Tamora’s new baby will that help mend the tense situation?

One has to be grateful for such adventurous groups as Her Infinite Variety Ensemble, for having the courage to bring rarely produced plays, and those normally avoided for their production difficulties, or taxing scripts to our attention. Such plays are selected knowing that the chances of financially breaking even is miniscule, but that the artistic challenge and personal satisfaction obtained is worth it.

Director, Jenny De Reuck, with dramaturg help from Vivienne Glance, has developed a strong rapport between all of the cast members. One soon forgot that there were no male actors, as the performances were unflinchingly powerful. Although the characters and their relationships are complex, Associate Professor of English, Jenny (a skilled writer) has made the story most lucid. How often does a film have a wonderful cast only to be a total letdown? In contrast, here we have some of Perth’s best female actors, giving their very best.

Nicola Bartlett superbly portrays Titus as the logical powerful leader, who gradually becomes a broken man as his family are decimated. Tiffany Barton has the whole audience on her side as the distraught mother seeing her son being killed, but gradually our sympathies fade as she turns into a manipulating bitch using her body to achieve her way. Mikala Westall started as the shy innocent maid and in the end won our heart felt sympathies as the pathetic, badly abused daughter.  Some wonderfully powerful performances.

The costumes (Teagan Howard) were extremely well chosen allowing the characters to be understood immediately. The smart army uniforms of Titus and Lucius, the mobster wear of Saturninus and punk outfits of Tamora’s two sons. Tess De Silva’s clever makeup and hair design added to the personalities in the play.

Katrina Johnston and Kate Logan-Scales lighting design helped the director create the tension and bloody conflicts by inferring the gore at a squirm level, rather than being blatantly bloody. Lighting and sound were professionally operated by Tiffany Wendt.
The background music was mainly a string, with several live and unusual percussion instruments including a rain stick played by Rhoda, her tap dancing representing either a drum roll or the galloping of horses.

Congratulations to all concerned on their achievement. Better to check in advance that there are seats left, as this has been a sell-out some nights. A wonderful play, faultlessly performed. First class.