Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were extremely popular with audiences throughout the sixteenth century. The play is set during the latter days of the Roman Empire and tells the fictional story of Titus, a general in the Roman army, who is engaged in a cycle of revenge with Tamora, Queen of the Goths.

Performance history in South Africa

Produced at the Market Theatre in association with the Royal National Theatre Studio from 29 March to 13 May 1995, starring Antony Sher in the lead, directed by Gregory Doran [1]. The production then went on a tour of Britain and Spain.

According to material held by NELM the other cast members were Gysbert de Villiers, Bruce Laing, Sello Maake ka Ncube, Charlton Lee George, Leslie Fong, Daphney Hlomuka, Oscar Peterson, Martin le Maitre, Duncan Lawson, Dan Robbertse, Dale Cutts, Dorothy-Ann Gould, Paulus Kuoape, Godfrey Mgcina, Timothy Parr and Ivan D. Lucas .

Nadya Cohen as set designer, Sue Steele as costume designer, Mannie Manim as lighting designer, Dumisani Dlamini as musical director, and Wesley France as lighting designer.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans by Breyten Breytenbach (Buren, 1970), produced for CAPAB in 1970 by the German director Dieter Reible at the Hofmeyr Theatre. Jannie Gildenhuys played Saturninus, Pietro Nolte Bassianus, Pieter Geldenhuys Titus Andronicus, James Norval Marcus Andronicus. Other members of the cast included Mees Xteen, Chris Swanepoel, Peter Grobbelaar, Pieter von Dissel, Ben Dekker, Dawid van der Walt, Johan Naudé, Chris Swanepoel, Johan Esterhuizen, Johan Malherbe, Will Bernard, Pieter Joubert, Willem de la Querra, Grethe Fox, Annelisa Weiland, Anna Cloete. Decor and costumes by Bert Kistner. It was a controversial but a successful production. Including a tour, it saw 19 performances.

Anatomie Titus Fall of Rome Ein Shakespearekommentar (1985) [adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus], by Heiner Müller (1929-1995).

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus_Andronicus

Grütter, Wilhelm, CAPAB 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. P 70-71.

Titus Andronicus programme, 1970.

NELM, [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2007. 32. 9. 207. 5.

Contracts of employment between the Market Theatre and Titus Andronics cast members (1995 production): (NELM [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2007. 10. 10. 175. 2).

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to T in Plays II Foreign Plays

Return to South_African_Theatre/Plays

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page