The Story - TITUS ANDRONICUS
(written c.1589-1594)

Titus Andronicus returns from war victorious, just as the Roman emperor has died and his sons Saturninus and Bassianus vie to replace him. Among Titus' prisoners of war are Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and three of her sons. Titus is mourning the death of some of his sons in war and, as a customary farewell to their souls, he chooses Tamora's first born to be sacrificed to the gods. Distraught, Tamora vows her revenge.

Lavinia, Titus' only daughter, arrives to mourn her brothers' deaths. Titus' younger brother Marcus Andronicus announces that heroic Titus has been chosen as the next emperor. Titus graciously refuses the honour due to his age, and offers Saturninus the crown, which he accepts eagerly. To show his new found power and to honor Titus, Saturninus declares he will take Lavinia as his bride. Bassianus immediately protests that Lavinia is his and, under the protection of Titus' sons, tries to take her from court. When angry Titus attempts to seize Lavinia, Mutius tries to block his father and Titus strikes out, killing his own son. All is for naught because when beautiful Tamora is brought in, Saturninus decides to marry the Goth Queen and casts Lavinia aside.

Now in a position of power, Tamora plots her revenge on Titus for killing her child. With the encouragement of Aaron, her Moorish lover, Tamora's other children, Chiron and Demetrius, murder Bassianus and rape Lavinia in lust and revenge. They follow this by cutting off her hands and tongue in order to keep their identity secret.

Uncle Marcus discovers ravaged Lavinia and escorts her to her father and brother Lucius, but she is unable to speak the names of her assailants. Aaron arrives and reveals that Titus' sons, Quintus and Martius, have been accused of Bassianus' murder after being found with his body. Aaron also brings word from the emperor that if Titus will cut off his hand and send it back to the emperor, the accused will be set free. Titus does so, only to receive his hand back, along with the heads of his dead sons. Enraged Titus sends Lucius to raise an army. Young Lucius and Marcus remain to assist him.

Guided by Marcus, Lavinia writes the names of her perpetrators in the sand with a stick. With the names of Chiron and Demetrius revealed, Titus begins to hatch a plan for revenge. He sends the murderers 'gifts' of their names plated from Lavinia's scratchings and Aaron realizes that their guilt has been discovered.

Just then heralds announce that Tamora has given birth to a baby boy. A nurse brings the dark-skinned child to Aaron, as it is obviously his baby not Saturninus'. Instead of killing the infant, as Tamora has requested, Aaron vows to protect him against all odds and leaves to rejoin the Goths.

Rome is now threatened by Lucius leading a force of Goths to attack. Tamora reassures the Emperor that she will stop the invasion by 'enchanting' Titus. She and her sons visit him disguised as Revenge, Rape and Murder. Titus, pretending to be mad, goes along with their pretense. Revenge promises they will deliver the guilty empress and her sons to a strategic dinner between the Romans and the Goths, but Titus insists that Rape and Murder stay behind. Once Tamora leaves, he kills Chiron and Demetrius.

At the banquet held for Saturninus and Tamora, Titus surreptitiously serves Tamora's sons baked in a meat pie. Whist dining, Titus shocks everyone by killing Lavinia, to relieve her shame and suffering. He then reveals the contents of the meal, kills Tamora, and is himself stabbed to death by Saturninus. Lucius steps in to finish the massacre by killing the emperor. In the final scene Lucius is crowned emperor, the deaths of Titus and the nobles are mourned, and Lucius prosecutes Aaron for his crimes, condemning him to a savage death.

THE STAGING

The themes of power, revenge and the exploration of violence in Titus Andronicus are as current today as when Shakespeare wrote the play, and director Kim Collier has set this production in a contemporary world. The questions resonate:  'What are the environmental, social, institutional and personal constructs that make us choose revenge over mercy? Can we hope to break the cycle?'   Shakespeare shows us how war can cause us to lose our humanity.