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Winding your way down the stairs at The Shops at Grand Avenue Mall, there’s a nook tucked away in the corner. This space, housing the Underground Collaborative, features a quiet front office space as if you are waiting at the dentist. As you make your way down the hall, the walls seem to close in on you with framed photos and paintings evenly distributed. And at once you are met by the black sheen of the theater. Grab your seat amongst two sets of tiered chairs, flanking either side of the small, divergent stage. Without a moment to spare, the lights dim.
Titus Andronicus is known as Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragic work, and rightfully so. This tale of revenge and deceit couldn’t evoke an unsettling feeling without spurts of blood spraying from characters being slashed left and right. What the performance lacks with a minimalist set design, it is made up by the cast’s unrelenting energy.
Maya Danks, portraying Titus, calls out in despair as her character watches everything in their life be taken from them. It is when she is confronted by those against her that her stare cuts straight through them, reaching out to the audience behind them. Aaron, played by Brittany Faye Byrnes, is a perpetual firecracker of energy pursuing to destroy the lives of those connected to their lover, Tamora, and continues to raise the notch as the tables slowly turn. Saturninus, commanded by Kyle Conner, exudes confidence as the chosen emperor of Rome, only to break down as he too suffers at the loss of his brother. While it is a complete madhouse, one character maintains their poise throughout. Robin Lewis, the elegant wife to be of Saturninus, shows no sweat from her brow as she carefully toys with each character. But even she can’t be saved from the vengeful Titus.
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Through Oct. 7 at the Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, visit the box office or online at https://www.voicesfoundrep.com/titus-andronicus.html.
