Upon entering the Tank to see Titus X: The Musical, audience members are asked whether they would like complimentary earplugs. (Note: You will need the earplugs.) At the start of this late-night show, a warm-up band plays a single selection, as if to ingratiate us with the atmosphere of contemporary rock music. Finally the actors take the stage, but the music proceeds to get even louder for the next 90 minutes.
Titus X, a punk-rock adaptation by Shawn Northrip of Shakespeare's bloody tragedy Titus Andronicus, is surprisingly faithful in terms of characters and plot: It is the gory saga of a Roman soldier who watches as his children are raped, mutilated, and murdered, until he finally takes revenge by killing the two remaining sons of Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and feeding them to her at a banquet. As one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, it is often derided for its overwhelming violence.
Though Titus X was not meant to parody Titus Andronicus, the music is so loud that it manages to butcher the language that has made Shakespeare eternal, forcing us to cover our ears to endure it. Nevertheless, the production, directed by Peter Sanfilippo, succeeds in translating the gruesomeness of Shakespeare's original into the strident rhythms and hormonal attitude of a garage band. One important quality missing, however, is effective lighting, which would help to color the atmosphere.
Among the cast, Laurie Davis stands out as Lavinia, the unfortunate daughter of Titus whose hands are chopped off and tongue ripped out while being raped. Particularly fascinating is how the music mirrors her rage and confusion.
Presented by Fugly Productions, Variant Theatre Company, and the Tank at the Tank, 279 Church St., NYC. July 27-Aug. 24. Thu., 10 p.m. (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com.