The Crow's Nest presents a production of Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus" at 8 p.m. on April 12 and 13 in the Harlene Marley Theater.
This production will run for 90 minutes. Cocktail attire is encouraged/demanded. Tickets are no longer available online, but please show up at 7:30 p.m. if you don't have a seat reserved as there may be additional space. First come, first served.
"Titus Andronicus" is a revenge tragedy of such outrageous mannerisms that it could be played for laughs. A woman inadvertently eats her sons who have been baked into a pie? Doh! In this take, comedy allows the tale's carnivalesque to emerge. As an exercise in poor taste, we will be taking what has been christened Shakespeare's worst play and making it worse… which may in turn redeem it.
Content Warning
This production worked with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and multiple professors to adapt the script and make formal decisions to frame the truncated subjectivity of certain characters like Aaron, Tamora and Lavinia within a political context. That being said, the script still contains highly discomforting material.
There will be extreme onstage violence, such as mutilation and cannibalism. There is a r*pe scene depicted offstage, and we will share the cue for when it will happen so audience members can step out. There is also extreme racism throughout the play. There will be blood and loud noises. We staged this production so as to examine spectatorship in a consumer society rather than put on a comfortable, numbing and forgettable show.
Please use discretion when deciding if this play is for you, and please ask us questions if you want to come but have doubts. Reach out to keener1@kenyon.edu or holloway1@kenyon.edu.