Titus Andronicus is well-known as several things: as Shakespeare’s first true tragedy, as a foreshadow of the brutal Jacobean revenge dramas that would dominate the first quarter of the 17th century, and (perhaps most famously) as Shakespeare’s most visceral and bloody work. Yet Vengeance in my Heart presented by Wowdacious Theatre at Capital Fringe delivers an adaptation of Titus showing an odd bloodlessness, in the figurative and literal sense.
There is the customary violence, of course. Vengeance maintains the title of revenge drama in that way, with bodies galore dropping due to an imprudent lack of mercy shown at the top of the show by Shakespeare’s title character. How could one miss violence in a play that sees 10 people killed, 3 extremities behanded , 2 heads delivered, 1 tongue cut out, and a pie baked out of two murdered corpses? But horror and gore fans will want to miss this piece, as technical difficulties mar the flying floppy rubber appendages that stretch suspension of disbelief. Moreover, the ever-anticipated pie proves to be a scrumptious cherry with sugar crumble, rather than a pasty of long pig.
Adaptor and Director Mediombo Singo Fofana chooses to retain Shakespeare’s verse, if not his viscera, for his cast, composed mainly of Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory participants with some others. Their interpretation of Shakespeare’s words, and gestures with each phrase as they march upon the verse slowly with rarely varying pace— is an approach too uniform to be accidental, too gaudy to be mistaken for top class contemporary acting, and too stilted to be given the title of well-practiced dance.
The 80 minute runtime lengthens from this languorous rhythm. In contrast, Fofana may have taken a too-keen inspiration from the plot by cutting the usually multi-hour script too close to the bone. One must keep the program in close consultation, while wondering at what the meat of onstage matter is, rather than following the emotional journeys of the characters, though those are often abbreviated by each other’s knives.
A few of the actors stand out as practiced either in the delicacies of verse or subtle emoting. Eamon Patrick Walsh shows mastery of Titus’ voice, delivering monologues thunderously and maintaining a stage presence that shows him a General and man of war that we are told he is. And though the production struggles to connect moment to moment smoothly, he is sure and clear inside the respective moments.
The brightest spot is Miles Foley as Aaron. The only character of color in the play, he clarifies the high stakes of the plot with expression and quality while making strong choices that grounded the play in today’s social reality. Rejected by all other characters, he shouts defiance, even in chains, and creates the most positively memorable and visceral moment of the play by tasting the saliva of one who spit on him. His portrayal often inspired me to wish him as the focus of Vengeance in My Heart. But, alas, he dies ¾’s through the play, along with my hopes for a more powerful adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus.
Note: This play contains several potential content triggers unadvertised in promotional material. There is a direct depiction of rape during the play and intense flashing lights.
Vengeance in My Heart . A classical adaptation of Titus Andronicus from Mediombo Fofana. Featuring: Eamon Patrick Walsh, Emel Haddad, Tyler Dos Santos, Sally Roffman, Bruce Wiljamen, Amelia Schuster, Nathan A. Krueger, George Kassouf, Shannon Ziegler, Declan Cashman, Meredith Garagiola , Connor J Drake, Sid Garg, Miles Foley, Corrie Jones . Presented at Capital Fringe Festival 2018 . Reviewed by Alan Katz.
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