Titus Andronicus

I am woman. Hear me roar.

No, that's not a line from Burbage Theatre Company's electrifying production of Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus," yet it easily lends itself to the intense rage, grief and violence exhibited by the talented members of the cast, particularly the women.

Artistic Director Jeff Church dutifully and explicitly directs this "not for the faint of heart," rarely-staged carnival of gore and revenge, with Rae Mancini in the title role, who seamlessly and methodically transforms from perfectly and eerily composed to malevolent and wholly hell-bent on retaliation.

After spending a decade on the battlefield at war with the Goths, Titus Andronicus returns home with her sons, Lucius (Aaron Morris, forthright and gutsy), Quintus (David d'Andrea), Martius (Molly Greene) and Mutius (Chris Pelletier), as well as her prisoner, Tamora, Queen of the Goths, exquisitely portrayed by Christin Goff.

Titus also holds Tamora's sons captive and kills the eldest as a tribute to those men who died at war. When asked to take over for the recently deceased emperor, Titus declines and endorses the emperor's son, Saturnius, played by an imperious, energetic Rico Lanni. Calamity ensues when Titus offers her daughter, Lavinia (a poetically pained, distressed Allison Crews), even though she is already engaged to his brother, Bassianus (an expressly distraught, dignified Dillon Medina).

Saturnius marries Tamora instead, who senses an opportunity to exact revenge upon Titus, with the help of her secret lover, Aaron, hauntingly and masterfully played by Jason Quinn. Aaron convinces Tamora's sons, Demetrius and Chiron (Andrew Iacovelli and James Lucey, both equally dashing and devilish), to kill Bassianus, then rape Lavinia, cut her tongue and sever her hands. Aaron then forges a letter blaming Quintus and Martius for Bassianus's murder, so Saturnius sentences both of Titus's sons to death. Despite going insane, her quest to punish those who violated Lavinia continues unabated with the willful assistance of her brother, Marcus (a brilliant Roger Lemelin).

Without giving away the rest of what this gruesome tale has in store, let it suffice to say the blood flows as increasingly and continuously as the body count, including additional severed hands and heads, gouged-out eyes and a meat pie with select ingredients that most would find hard to stomach. Not to worry, though -- the theater courteously provides the front row with ponchos in the likely event of spillage.

"Titus Andronicus" is one of Shakespeare's earlier works, and while his later -- and more popular -- tragic masterpieces are hardly bloodless, they certainly pale in comparison to the extreme violence and unrepentant cruelty presented here, which may partly explain why theaters steer clear from it. That being said, the play reminds us that modern society's morbid fascination with revenge and the inherent, immediate readiness for war is hardly a novel concept or predisposition.

Even if you're not familiar with this particular work (or, like me, still having trouble fully understanding and appreciating Shakespeare), the outstanding performances and the beautifully dark, invasive look and feel of this production are well worth the experience. For those avid Shakespeare fans, it goes without saying that your attendance in Burbage Theatre's audience is mandatory.

"Titus Andronicus" runs through March 18 at Aurora Providence, 276 Westminster Street in Providence. For information and tickets, visit www.burbagetheatre.org.