The publicity image of Simon Russell Beale drenched in blood suggested a horror fest — the kind of performance that gave me butterflies of dread and serious reluctance. Titus Andronicus is notorious for its mutilations and relentless brutality; as a squeamish theatre-goer, I expected to endure rather than enjoy. Yet leaving Hampstead Theatre, I was amazed by how much I had engaged with the play — not despite its violence, but because of the way this production reimagined it.
One of Shakespeare’s earliest tragedies, the play follows Roman general Titus on his return from war with prisoners in tow, including Queen Tamora of the Goths. His rigid sense of honour sparks a cycle of revenge that escalates into mutilation, murder, and black comedy — a brutal spiral where family, politics, and power collide.
Director Max Webster approaches the gore with stylisation and wit. Acts of brutality are not staged for shock value but turned into theatrical images that invite us to think rather than simply recoil. A hosepipe of red paint at the climax sent laughter rippling through the audience where revulsion might normally reign. This dark humour made the violence bearable and sometimes even entertaining, always reminding us that this was performance — a chance to reflect as well as react.
The set is stripped back: clean lines, minimal props, no fixed location. Atmosphere arises from the bodies on stage, not elaborate scenery. Costumes sharpen the contrasts: the Romans in grey, the Goths in royal blue, with Tamora (Wendy Kweh) resplendent in feathers. In one of the production’s most unsettling moments, her sons Chiron (Marlowe Chan-Reeves) and Demetrius (Jeremy Ang Jones) don fox masks and royal blue hair before their assault on Lavinia (Letty Thomas) — cruelty filtered through images that feel disturbingly playful. Acts of savagery were often cushioned by gestures borrowed from everyday life, sometimes shading into pantomime, giving the violence a queasy familiarity. Lavinia’s broken presence afterwards evokes a silent scream.
Matthew Herbert’s music blends voices and percussion into a soundscape that feels both unsettling and compelling, amplifying the horror and humanity of the story. Jade Hackett’s choreography ties the scenes together with movement that responds to both music and text. In the second half especially, dance and gesture become jolts of punctuation to the play’s words.
The title role was played not by Simon Russell Beale, as first advertised, but by John Hodgkinson. Stepping into a giant’s shoes, Hodgkinson delivered a remarkable performance, drawing out the black humour in Titus with unexpected sharpness. Where one might anticipate horror or silence, the audience instead chuckled — testament to both his delivery and the director’s tonal choices. Kweh’s Tamora balanced cruelty and allure, while Ken Nwosu gave a magnetic turn as Aaron. The ensemble worked fluidly, from the fox-masked sons to Thomas’s harrowing Lavinia and Emma Fielding’s dignified Marcia.
This Titus Andronicus doesn’t shy away from brutality, but nor does it wallow. It finds a strange balance between horror and humour, violence and performance. The result is gruesome, yes — but also exhilarating and, at times, wickedly entertaining.
Director – Max Webster
Movement Director – Jade Hackett
Composer & Sound Designer – Matthew Herbert
Cast includes: John Hodgkinson, Wendy Kweh, Ken Nwosu, Emma Fielding, Joel MacCormack, Max Bennett, Letty Thomas
Until 11 October 2025
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes (including an interval)
(Seen on 26 Sept. 2025)