Redtwist Theatre: Titus Andronicus Review
Anne Sheridan Smith as Titus Andronicus
Redtwist Theatre Presents TITUS ANDRONICUS Review - The Shakespearean Game of Thrones
TLDR: Set in galley staging, the actors use the full theatre space to give us a never ending bloodbath that is Titus Andronicus. The actors masterfully enact their characters that have us gripped from beginning to end, handling the serious subject matters with a deft hand while also finding moments of comedy to balance it out.
(L to R) Madelyn Loehr (Bassianus), Caroline Kidwell (Lavinia), Anne Sheridan Smith (Titus), Philip C. Matthews (Lucius), Sabine Wan (Marcus) and Joshua Servantez (Saturninus)
At Redtwist Theatre, Every Seat Is In The Splash Zone
After walking into Redtwist and picking up our tickets, we turn to enter the theater. We’re greeted by an usher, handed a program, and as we walk in the door they tell us, “The show runs two hours and ten minutes with an intermission, general seating so sit anywhere, and every seat is in the splash zone.” We pause and turn around. Could you repeat that really quickly? “Sure every seat is in the splash zone and ponchos are available for $1 at the concessions stand.” Many theatre patrons turn to look at each other, silently debating if they need to turn around and buy that poncho.
Luckily the stage blood is washable, so don’t fret too much if you get a drop or two on your clothing, but this opening before the show even starts gets us braced for what to expect during this production of Titus Andronicus.
From the original text, Titus is one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays with something violent happening in almost every scene. As we watch the royal and the Andronicus families seek revenge and counter revenge against each other, here it becomes graphically enacted on stage. This coupled with the other themes of family honor, loyalty, and duty to your country has us feeling like we may be watching a season of Games of Thrones.
(L to R) Caroline Kidwell (Lavinia), Madelyn Loehr (Bassianus), Elijah Newman (Chiron), Laura Sturm (Tamora), Joshua Servantez (Saturninus), Quinn Leary (Demetrius) and Philip C. Matthew (Lucius)
Delivering Shakespeare’s Text With Feeling
Titus takes us through a whole range of emotions thanks to the performances by the entire company. We feel grief, rage, contempt, horror, and much more throughout the entire show.
This adaptation adds to the script to expand Aaron’s story and add more depth to the character. Played by James Lewis, he lurks around the periphery of the stage and action, observing before he puts his devious plan into action. In his soliloquies, he engages with the audience. He genially taps you on the leg and looks at you like you’re in on the joke only you and him are sharing.
Caroline Kidwell as Lavinia plays guitar and sings haunting folk songs at the beginning of the show. We delight when she is able to marry her love, Basstianus (played by Madelyn Loehr) and we see their love as they embrace and canoodle like teenagers. But when she is taken by Tamora’s sons in the forest to be brutalized and raped, we feel her physical and emotional pain as she can barely stand and cannot even cry out fully in anguish.
As the titular character, Anne Sheridan Smith evokes respect as she marches out onto the stage. She is in a full khaki and red military uniform complete with an impressive array of medals and honors. She steps up onto the marble platform in the middle of the stage in heavy black boots and delivers a rousing victory speech as she has returned home Rome’s victor. But as her family continues to get torn apart, we see her slow descent into madness. She deftly toes the line between taking charge and feeling insane at the situation around her.
And when Sabine Wan as Marcus throws down her gold pins of distinction onto the table, we feel we too have also given up hope.
The cast does not let up on the gas pedal for an instant. Spit flies as they deliver their Shakespearean lines packed with emotion and as strange as it would see for a Shakespearean tragedy to be funny, the company of Titus also manages to find comedic bits and add balance to this otherwise emotionally heavy affair.
James Lewis as Aaron
Staging, Set Design, and Effects Heighten the Performance
As mentioned already, there will be blood. Luckily it’s not like Goodman’s production of A View From the Bridge where blood literally rains from the ceiling. But the way they have crafted the gory effects for Titus subtly add to the production without distracting. As a character is killed, a flash of red light goes off and a trail of blood is left behind. When a bone breaks, something crunches and has us gritting our teeth at the pain.
Background music designed by Dusty Brown adds another layer to the production as it changes or heightens the mood. There’s soft music when we need to care for Lavinia, but trumpets, fanfare, and gladiator music as leaders address the crowds.
The only set piece onstage (designed by Eric Luchen) is the large, marble platform structure that runs the whole length of the theatre. It becomes a table, a place to deliver speeches, a pit, and the Andronici tomb. The actors play around it - opening it when they need to drop a body into the tomb and stepping confidently onto it when they need to stand above the rest. So even though Titus is a simply staged production, this focal point is well used.
(L to R) Madelyn Loehr (Bassianus), Joshua Servantez (Saturninus), Caroline Kidwell (Lavinia), Philip C. Matthews (Lucius), Sabine Wan (Marcus) and Anne Sheridan Smith (Titus)
The After Party Thoughts
This is how Shakespeare is meant to be. Each element of Redtwist’s version of Titus was masterfully crafted from the costumes, to the stage design, to the theatrical elements, to the acting. When a cast can deliver Shakespeare’s original text where we can follow and know what’s happening, that’s the mark of a truly talented ensemble.
One important thing to callout for anyone considering seeing this show - Titus comes with a multitude of trigger warnings - violence and sexual assault among them. One that may also need to be specifically called out as well is racial violence as there is a reference to hanging a Black man.
All in all, Redtwist’s production is amazing in this writer’s opinion, but not for those with weak stomachs. If you love Shakespeare, particularly his tragedies, or if you’re a fan of shows with a little gore that deliver an emotional punch, Titus Andronicus would be a good fit for you.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(L to R) Madelyn Loehr (ensemble member) and Anne Sheridan Smith (Titus)
When
Now through April 6, 2025
Where
Redtwist Theatre
1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
Runtime: 2hrs 30min, including intermission
Tickets
$35+
Tickets can be purchased through the Redtwist Theatre website
Photos
Tom McGrath
Find Allie and The After Party featured on Theatre In Chicago
(L to R) Laura Sturm (Tamora) and James Lewis (Aaron)
CAST
Anne Sheridan Smith (Titus Andronicus)
James Lewis (Aaron)
Caroline Kidwell (Lavinia Andronicus)
Sabine Wan (Marcus)
Philip C. Matthews (Lucius Andronicus)
Laura Strum (Tamora)
Quinn Leary (Demetrius)
Elijah Newman (Chiron)
Joshua Servantez (Saturninus)
Madelyn Loehr (Bassianus/ensemble)
Rena Ahmed (Titus Andronicus U/S)
Makari Robinson McNeese (Aaron U/S)
Hannah McCauley (Lavinia Andronicus U/S)
Daniel Vaughn Manasia (Marcus U/S)
Christine Cummins (Lucius Andronicus U/S)
Michelle Perry (Tamora U/S)
Gavin Blayne (Demetrius U/S)
Seth Eggenschwiller (Chiron U/S)
Grayson Kennedy (Saturninus U/S)
Madi Bacino (Bassianus/ensemble U/S)
CREATIVE
Dusty Brown (adapter, director, technical director and sound designer)
Raine DeDominici (production manager/production stage manager)
Eliot Colin (stage manager)
Andie Cash (assistant director)
Korey Pimental (dramaturg)
KClare McKellaston (costume designer)
Leo Bassow (props designer)
Meredith Ernst (text coach)
Eric Luchen (scenic designer)
Erin Sheets (intimacy director)
Michael Dias (violence director)
Eileen Dixon (casting director and artistic director of production)