EDINBURGH 2013 - BWW Reviews: TITUS ANDRONICUS, Bedlam Theatre, August 16 2013

Right, confession time - I don't know much about Shakespeare, and I knew even less about Titus Andronicus before seeing this version by Smooth Faced Gentlemen, the UK's only all-female Shakespeare company. But one would hope the work of 'the Bard' - that's what people call him, right? - should be accessible without much prior knowledge, and it's to the company's credit that this production very much is.

Bounding on stage as if they were at an all-girl Clockwork Orange convention, the cast of eight, in white with some wearing braces (they're the boys), is full of energy from the off. They revel in the material, clearly loving every second, and the enthusiasm is contagious. Even when I wasn't exactly sure about the ins and outs of the plot, the commitment of the actors and the self-referencing comedy keep things enormously entertaining.

Director Yaz Al-Shaater employs a few neat tricks to lend the production its own, vibrant identity. Paintbrushes with red paint are knives, inflicting all kinds of messy fatal injuries, and messages are spread above the audience's heads via paper airplanes. Plus, there's some fine acapella singing at various points from the very talented cast.

There genuinely isn't a weak link here, but especially good are the intense Henri Meriman as Titus, and Francesca Binefa, showing great comedic instinct as Saturninus. Leila Sykes' recently de-tongued Lavnia is very impressive too, conveying a great deal without saying a word. Each performer deserves a mention, though; it's one of the strongest ensemble casts I've seen at the Fringe.

'Titus Andronicus' runs nightly at 19:30 until August 24.

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