Bard brings Titus to The Crypt

A BUNINYONG-based theatre company aimed at bringing William Shakespeare’s works to the region is set to debut their darker offshoot with a 1980s take on one of the Bard’s lesser-known plays.

Starting next month, the Bard in Buninyong’s first adults-only Dark Bard show will see the team bring a modernised Titus Andronicus tale to The Crypt.

Director, Hayley Beacham, said the production will serve as a more mature counterpart to their summer offering.

“For quite some years now, the Bard every summer puts on a family-friendly Shakespeare play in the Buninyong Botanic Gardens,” she said.

“One of our producers and committee members Rob Kelty, who’s playing Titus, has really been passionate about doing the show for some time.

“We’ve settled into a nice groove with a great cast of returning actors so it seems like the perfect time to open up that field of adult-tailored performance.

“Titus was Shakespeare’s first tragedy he wrote and it was actually really popular in its heyday but not so much now because it’s quite a dark show.

“The 1980s setting would come down to Rob. It’s something that hasn’t been done before and it’s a new look at it, where more people can relate.”

The story focuses on the titular Titus and his cycle of violence and revenge with Tamora, Queen of the Goths following the death of her son.

Each performance is limited to 50 audience members.

Beacham said she looks forward to continuing to develop the Dark Bard offshoot. “We’re hopeful we can continue with this, that we can provide a darker, adult-friendly show in the winter time in an indoor setting,” she said.

“There’s so many different shows we can go through with Shakespeare’s other tragedies like Hamlet, and Merchant of Venice.”

Titus Andronicus will be staged six times from Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 August, before resuming from Thursday 8 to Saturday 10 August, with all shows starting at 8pm.

Tickets are $30 general and $25 concession, and can be booked at bit.ly/3Wxb5vT.