Second year BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen degree students performed a gripping production of Shakespeare’s most brutal tragedy for packed houses at ARC Stockton Arts Centre as part of the course’s summer season in May.

Audiences were treated to a raw, contemporary take on Titus Andronicus, a production known for its uncompromising exploration of betrayal, revenge and violence, as the cast threw themselves into the physical and emotional demands of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy.

Macy Johnson

Pierre Brown

Leigha Shadwell

Some of the cast reflected on the production, how they prepared and the novel interpretation they presented to audiences.

For second year student and cast member Leigha Shadwell, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, portraying the character of Lavinia meant confronting some of the most challenging subject matter to be found in Shakespeare’s plays.

“I really enjoyed developing this character,” Leigha said. “But approaching the difficult subject matter was a challenge initially. It was important to me that such violent acts were explored truthfully and sympathetically through my performance.”

She explained that Lavinia’s harrowing circumstances required a highly physical approach to acting:

“The skills I’ve developed over my course surrounding physicality and creating clear characterisation helped me massively. The audience were treated to a fresh take on Titus in a modern setting that explored all of the same gruesome and difficult themes.”

Billingham-born Macy Johnson took on the title role, which she described as being “a famously male character”, and embraced the challenge of playing beyond gender.

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing Titus,” Macy said. “I had to learn to act as neither male nor female, to make the role simply human. The audience were in for a shock with how gruesome the show is. We didn’t hold back from exploring the original sinister themes.”

For Macy, tackling Shakespeare’s dense text required a strategic approach:

“Breaking up the thoughts in those chunky monologues helped me keep everything organised in my head and make it sound like realistic speech.”

“It was fun to create an over-the-top caricature of politicians, powerful celebrities, and people who live an elitist lifestyle. One of the challenges was looking after my mental health outside rehearsals, finding a healthy balance between pressure and excitement.”

He anticipated that audiences would appreciate the play’s wild tonal shifts and “enjoy the absurdity of it all”.

Adding: “I enjoyed incorporating skills like the ‘major minor’ approach to the script, just like I would with a modern script, which made Shakespeare seem much less daunting.”

All three students head back to their final year of the course in September to further develop their skills and prepare for more opportunities to perform.

Train as a multi-faceted performer for stage and screen with drama school-level intensity on The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Acting for Stage & Screen degree. The programme is designed by working industry professionals to reflect the realities of today’s performance landscape. As a member of the Federation of Drama Schools, students enjoy a high-quality drama school training without the need to relocate to London. Find out more HERE