Titus Andronicus


Last Update: 27 November 1999
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In 1978 the BBC began an ambitious project to stage all 37 of Shakespeare's plays and present them over a six year period. One of the first productions was Much Ado About Nothing, with Penelope Keith and Michael York. Unfortunately, this version was scrapped, at a cost of £150,000; the BBC blamed "technical problems" and began again with a new cast, this time featuring Robert Lindsay and Cherie Lunghi. In 1980, they ran into more troubles, when Equity refused to allow them to import James Earl Jones from America to star in Othello. He was replaced by Anthony Hopkins.

The style of each production varied; some were confined to a studio and constructed sets. Others were shot on location.

Jonathan Miller took over production in 1980 and cast John Cleese in his presentation of The Taming of the Shrew.

Other notable performances included Helen Mirren in As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Cymbeline; Roger Daltrey in The Comedy of Errors; Derek Jacobi in Hamlet and Richard II; Ben Kingsley in The Merry Wives of Windsor; Bob Hoskins in Othello; Sir John Gielgud in Romeo and Juliet; and Jonathan Pryce in Timon of Athens.

One of Shakespeare's earliest works - and one of the most popular in his own lifetime - Titus Andronicus was written about 1593-1594, and was first published in 1594 in a quarto edition: "The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: as is was Plaide by the Right Honourable the Earle of Darbie, Earle of Pembrooke, and Earle of Sussex their Seruants".

With its themes of a revengeful Moor, cannibalism, human sacrifice, torture and enforced amputations, Titus Andronicus might easily be viewed as certainly one of the goriest of Shakespeare's plays; some critics have also labelled it one of the worst.

Shown on April 27, 1985 on BBC2, the production stars Eileen Atkins as Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and Trevor Peacock as Titus.

Sean's early CV cited an appearance in this production of Titus Andronicus, however his name is not listed in the program's credits, and there are no actors who resemble him among the numerous nonspeaking parts.


CHARACTERS:

Paul Davies-Prowles .... Young Lucius
Edward Hardwicke ....... Marcus
Walter Brown ........... Aemilius
Brian Protheroe ........ Saturninus
Nicholas Gecks ......... Bassianus
Derek Fuke ............. Captain
Eileen Atkins .......... Tamora
Peter Searles .......... Alarbus
Neil McCaul ............ Demetrius
Michael Crompton ....... Chiron
Hugh Quarshie .......... Aaron
Gavin Richards ......... Lucius
Crispin Redman ......... Quintus
Tom Hunsinger .......... Martius
Michael Packer ......... Mutius
Trevor Peacock ......... Titus
Anna Calder-Marshall ... Lavinia
Paul Kelly ............. Publius
John Benfield .......... Messenger
Deddie Davies .......... Nurse
Tim Potter ............. Clown
John Benfield .......... 1st Goth and Caius
Paul Kelly ............. 2nd Goth
Derek Fuke ............. 3rd Goth and Sempronius
Peter Searles .......... 4th Goth and Valentine


PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Produced by..............BBC TV/Time-Life
Directed by .............Jane Howell
Written by...............William Shakespeare
Airdate..................April 27, 1985 (BBC2)
Running time ............120 minutes



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