by Colton Wolf
Directed by Dr. Jan Powell, Gem City Groundlings’ Titus Andronicus is truly a hidden gem in the Miami Valley theatre community. Taking a historical approach to staging Shakespeare’s bloodiest and most graphic tragedy, Powell crafts a gripping story of an empire’s innocence straining under the weight of its own greed. In a director’s note, Powell states “…[Lavinia is] the heart of the production…,” as Lavinia’s character materializes the theme of lost innocence that drives the play’s central conflict.
Brief Synopsis
Returning from war against the Goths, Roman General Titus Andronicus takes the Goth queen, Tamora, as prisoner and sacrifices her son as retribution for the sons he lost to battle. Following an unlikely marriage to the Roman Emperor, Saturninus, Tamora plots her last act of revenge against Titus, and Rome itself.
A Solid Directorial Approach
Set in 295 A.D., Powell’s version of Titus Andronicus makes expert choices in casting Alarbus (Sebastian Wells) as a young son of Tamora rather than the textual adult-aged eldest son. The explicit (but offstage) death of Alarbus within minutes of the lights up grip the audience, clearly communicating that this play is cruel. This casting choice also inspires sympathy toward Tamora and paints Titus as a clear, brutalistic villain. This sympathy is then wrested from the audience when Tamora permits Chiron and Demetrius to rape and mutilate Lavinia (thankfully unstaged and implied through dialogue). Her defilement is a point of no return for either Romans or Goths. Powell demands the audience to question: “How can either Tamora or Titus be trusted?”
Formidable Performances
Andrew Mitakides (Titus Andronicus; Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director), plays to this question. He is brutal, pragmatic, and unrelenting until he sees Lavinia’s disfigurement: now a witness to the sight of his own cruelty, Mitikides employs a darkly comedic approach to emphasize Titus’ supposed insanity. Amanda Maynus (Tamora) commands the plot, refusing to relinquish control from the narrative through her domineering presence. Aeson Liddic portrays abominable horror and depravity through hyena-like giggles, grunts, and ghoulish physicality. Lastly, James “Jim” Walker portrays Marcus as an unwavering moral force that both physically and spiritually crumbles under the weight of his country and his brother, Titus. In full, the entire ensemble carried the show’s purpose with expert clarity.
Room for Improvement
At times, it felt as though the Dayton Masonic Center was too grand a venue for GCG’s operation. While every performable area of the venue was well utilized, the sheer size of the Masonic Center made my connection as an audience member waver, as I wished to gain more intimacy with the actors.
Additionally, the show’s crew and technical elements were largely staffed by the Masonic Center’s employees. The technical elements seemed to lag behind their intended cues which was distracting at points, as it broke the immersion audience members needed to feel the full effect of the tragedy.
Final Thoughts
GCG’s Titus Andronicus is a thrilling piece of theatre that champions Dayton’s local theatre artists. As a burgeoning theatre company and Dayton’s only professional Shakespeare theatre, it is crucial to support their work. If you are looking to engage with a new local theatre and a true to form version of Titus Andronicus, Gem City Groundlings’ production is a must see.
Tickets to Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus runs on June 15th, 17th, and 19th at the Dayton Masonic Center. Tickets are available online at WWW.GEMCITYGROUNDLINGS.COM through the Eventbrite platform.
On June 25th, a free performance of Titus Andronicus will take place outdoors at Levitt Pavilion in Downtown Dayton.
Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.
Colton Wolf is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist and recent Miami University graduate. Colton holds BAs in Theatre and English, and a certificate in Devising Theatre for Social Justice from Fringe Benefits Theatre in Los Angeles. Based professionally in Cincinnati, Colton is an Assistant Stage Manager at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Teaching Artist with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
