Going down as Shakespeare’s most violent play, Titus Andronicus racks up a higher body count than any other in the Bard’s catalogue. That’s a grand total of 14 on-stage (human) deaths, not counting those slain in battle before the show even begins (and also, a single fly). However, as one ill-fated woman must discover, murder is far from the most barbaric act of violence one might face.

A bloody tale of tit-for-tat vengeance and sacrifice, the play is thought to be Shakespeare’s earliest work of tragedy, and his first foray into epic Roman tales. While it has fallen in and out of favour over the years (the sensibilities of the Victorian era found the all blood and gore to be a bit too much) the Elizabethan audiences who saw its debut surely wouldn’t have been too discouraged by the graphic violence (seeing as they also relished a public execution).

So, what can today’s audiences take away from Titus Andronicus? If this surreal staging  presented by Th’Unguarded Duncan and Theatre Works has one thing to teach us, it’s this: stories of bloody revenge will never go out of style. But, does the gore offer us anything substantial?

Titus Andronicus (Josh Morrisson and cast). Photo © Steven Mitchell Wright

Informed by a strong ensemble sense and an eastern aesthetic, this action-packed show evokes horror through abstraction, taking a stylistic approach that sees martial-arts-inspired movement sequences contrasted with sprawling mounds of red wool in place of gushing blood, and an original soundtrack charged by electronic guitar riffs.

Co-directors Kevin Hopkins and Claire Nicholls make a lot of interesting artistic choices, putting a unique stamp on this well-trodden script. And sure, Shakespeare’s “historical plays” are already loaded with a considerable degree of creative licence, so why not give your Romans vaguely eastern inspired uniforms, and dress your Goths as punks clad in spikes and tartans?

However, when it comes to conveying a strong point of view or an urgent sense of the play’s contemporary resonance, it doesn’t quite land the blow. One pertinent question remains unanswered. Beyond the marketing potential of a plug about “Shakespeare’s most violent play” – why this one? 

Titus Andronicus (Jessica Stanley and Rajendra Moodley). Photo © Steven Mitchell Wright

Titus Andronicus was penned by a much younger Bard, and while it is said to have served as a blueprint or “test run” for timeless blockbusters like Hamlet and Othello, you could argue that it doesn’t quite hold up to the reverence of either. This production slices down the script to a succinct 90-minute runtime, hurtling from one act to violence to the plotting of another, and so forth. 

While this tight knit approach prevents the action from ever stagnating, it can hinder the audience’s ability to catch onto the story’s finer details. Despite strong performances from the international cast of 13 (including an iconic turn as Tamora, Queen of the Goths, from Victoria Haslam), it is difficult to find the space to grapple with the darkness of the show’s themes – particularly when it comes to the brutal sexual assault and disfigurement of the aforementioned Lavina (Joanna Halliday).

Yes, the rape-revenge genre is still alive and well in the digital age. You don’t need to dig too far into cinematic sub-genres to find evidence of that, and leaning into abstract horror vibes is an on-point choice for what we could call the Bard’s blood-spurting answer to Kill Bill. However, all the dismembered parts of this production don’t fit neatly into the pie crust, and it still feels a little undercooked*. (*For the uninitiated, that’s a nod to the fate of two sons who are baked into a pie and served to their mother, Tamora.)

In a world already overrun with senseless violence, shouldn’t it be theatre’s job to offer up a slice that helps us make sense of it?

Titus Andronicus plays at Theatre Works, St Kilda, Melbourne until 22 November.