Anatomy Titus Fall Of Rome
The Sunday Age
Sunday November 9, 2008
ANATOMY TITUS FALL OF ROME
At CUB Malthouse. Nov 26-Dec 6. $60-$30. Tel: 9685 5111Bloody hell. Literally. John Bell's latest number isn't BBC Shakespeare. Unless the BBC has acquired a sponsorship deal with a horror movie franchise. Titus has depleted Melbourne's supply of fake blood which, given the recent penchant for Halloween monster marches, is a bit of a pity. But add up Titus and Malthouse Theatre's The Women of Troy and it's no surprise that red is The New Black. Titus Andronicus was Shakespeare's goriest play and Bell's production of Heiner Muller's adaptation amps up the violence in a wonderfully contemporary way. "A tale of grim, grinding brutality with vengeance at its heart," we're told, "this is a sharply political work that speaks as much of our world today as it does of Ancient Rome." After a few years of average Bell fare, the 2008 Hamlet revitalised the brand. Plus, you know, there are those buckets of (fake) blood. Book now. This one comes with sanguine approval from Sydney's best.
© 2008 The Sunday Age