BWW Reviews: TSU-San Marcos's TITUS ANDRONICUS Misses Some Key Ingredients

Shakespeare should be about three things: language, character, and story. While Titus Andronicus is not be Shakespeare's best work by any means, it still has a treasure trove of elements to be mined by a skilled director and cast. Shakespeare's tale of revenge plots between Titus, a powerful Roman General, and Tamora, Queen of the Goths should be riveting and chilling.

Unfortunately, the current production at TSU-San Marcos misses the mark in several ways. It's obvious that director Claire Parker has focused the majority of her time creating a post-apocalyptic world as the backdrop for Shakespeare's most violent tragedy. While I firmly believe that Shakespeare's words and characters are so well-crafted and universal that they can inhabit any world, the post-apocalyptic approach is overdone, unoriginal, and should be retired. Parker's decision to cover the majority of her stage with sand is an interesting one, but the sand kicked up by the action creates a major problem. The show is staged in a space so tight that the front row can touch the actors and the back row is a mere twenty feet away, so those sand clouds have nowhere to go for two and a half hours, and the audience suffocates because of it. It should be noted that some audience members wore surgical masks to protect themselves from the dust. I'm not sure about you, but I think theater should inform and entertain rather than be hazardous to your health.

But Parker's biggest fault is that her staging often elicits unwanted laughter. Scenes of extreme violence towards women should never be played for laughs, but they are here, and the bloody finale (featuring incredible fight choreography by recent B. Iden Payne winner Toby Minor) is marred by a comedic closing. Yes, every Shakespeare tragedy has its funny moments, but they're not where Parker's placing them.

With all of the attention placed on the aesthetics of the production, it seems Parker spent little time with her cast. Brianna Ripkowski and Kristopher Alvarado perform their villainous roles of Tamora and Saturninus as if they're in a melodrama. As Aaron, Tamora's lover, Zeke Mills screams every line, a problem he shares with Luke Kerschbaum as Titus's son, Lucius. As Tamora's disgustingly creepy sons Chiron and Demetrius, Kailyr Frazier and Joshua Segovia would both turn in quality performances if they reigned in their frantic energy. Thankfully, there are two strong performances in the show. As Titus, Evan Davies gives an exceptional performance, particularly when he gets to play with the sorrow and rage of his character, and Joy Greenawalt is heartbreaking as the tormented Lavinia.

Unfortunately, the strong work by Davies and Greenawalt can't save the production. While revenge is a dish best served cold, this dish of revenge needs to go back to the kitchen.

Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission.

TITUS ANDRONICUS plays the PSH Foundation Studio Theatre at the Texas State University - San Marcos Department of Theatre and Dance, located at 601 University Dr, San Marcos, 78666. Performances are Saturday 11/9 at 7:30pm and Sunday 11/10 at 2pm. Tickets are $8-$13. For tickets and more information, visit www.txstatepresents.com.