THEATER REVIEW:

The female of the species, Rudyard Kipling once observed, is deadlier than the male, and UCI is illustrating that adage with its current production of Shakespeare’s bloody revenge tragedy “Titus Andronicus,” with nary a man on stage.

When it first was published, in 1594, Shakespeare was somewhat of a work in progress himself, and “Titus Andronicus” is regarded as sort of basic training for the playwright who eventually would produce “Hamlet,” “Macbeth” and “Othello.” It’s not often mentioned in the same breath as those three, and for good reason.

At UCI, director Phil Thompson, who also staged the Bard’s “Measure for Measure” earlier this year, brings his audience up close and personal to all the gore, murder and dismemberment. Playgoers are seated in a horseshoe format on the stage of the main Claire Trevor Theater as the action transpires in their midst.

As written, there are only two women in “Titus Andronicus” — the mutilated Lavinia and the Goth hostage/queen Tamora. In UCI’s production these actresses are feminized while the other performers, obviously women, act with more lust and bravado as the male characters.

In the title role of a conquering Roman military leader, approaching retirement, Stephanie Philo is a gritty study in grim determination, fervently plotting revenge for the murder of two sons and the horrid mutilation of a daughter, Lavinia (beautifully enacted by Camelia Poespowidjojo) — whose hands are severed and her tongue cut out in one of the play’s grisliest scenes.

The leader of the faction which now controls Rome is enacted by Nicole Erb, who chooses the queen of the Goths, Tamora (Karin Hendricks) as the new queen. Hendricks is a captivating study of equal parts beauty and evil in a stunning performance.

Elizabeth Mugavero is a staunch ally as Titus’ brother, Marcus, while Helen Sage Howard is particularly strong as a warrior son, Lucius. Randyll Wendl and Erika Haaland are treachery personified as Tamora’s murderous sons. Particularly impressive is Marissa Hampton as Aaron, a scheming Moor aligned with Tamora both on the battlefield and in the boudoir.

With several depictions of rape, murder, mutilation and, eventually, cannibalism, “Titus Andronicus” may be viewed as the work of a young, immature playwright testing his literary wings. Yet this revenge scenario later served Shakespeare quite well as the structure for his classic “Hamlet,” generally recognized as one of the theater’s finest works.

At UCI, the blood flows freely and this production is not for the squeamish, thrust as it is just a few feet from the audience. Still, its visceral power is undeniable.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Titus Andronicus”

WHERE: UCI Claire Trevor Theater

WHEN: Closing performances at 8 tonight and Friday, and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday

COST: $10

CALL: (949) 824-2787

 

Manners multiplied in “Pride and Prejudice”

Should anyone in this day and age yearn for the “good old days” when “people had manners,” such feelings may effectively be squelched with a visit to Vanguard University, where Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is holding forth.

Manners abound in this romantic dramatization of Austen’s celebrated novel, set in an English village circa 1813. In fact, they dominate to the point of distraction. With all the bowing and scraping, not to mention the lengthy narrative passages, it’s difficult to determine who is doing what to whom, and why.

Director Susan Berkompas adopts the role of history teacher with this production as she guides her student actors through unfamiliar and long since abandoned practices of deference and delicacy. The real star, however, is Lia Hansen, whose period costumes make this show a visual, if not dramatic, delight.

Remember in “Gone With the Wind,” when Scarlett’s parents addressed each other as “Mr.” and “Mrs.?”

That stiff cordiality also is practiced here between a husband and wife who have raised five grown daughters. First names are reserved for filial or intimate situations — scratch that; intimacy hadn’t yet been discovered in the England of 1813, at least not in this neighborhood.

At issue is the pressure on young women to marry men of quality and property.

The notion that none of the Bennet ladies stood to inherit their father’s estate because of their sex seems ludicrous today, but this too was Austen’s world.

Michelle Upton is the centerpiece of the play, the family’s second-youngest daughter, Elizabeth, who conducts a campaign of verbal warfare with the shy and obscure yet imposing Mr. Darcy (Ryan Miller).

Their skirmishes resemble those of Shakespeare’s Beatrice and Benedick and are equally much ado about nothing.

Upton succeeds splendidly with the leaden dialogue foisted upon her, and so do two other cast members. Katelyn Spurgin is excellent as her irritable mother and Andy Christensen scores as a stuffy parson seeking Upton’s hand in marriage.

Huge chunks of narrative, ostensibly from the novel, are offered by the Bennet sisters with the apparent intent of furthering the plot. Karah Gravatt sweetly enacts the oldest, and most attractive, sister, while Paige Murray and Rebecca Testrake portray the giddy younger siblings delightfully. Anna De La Cour has little to do as the bookish middle sister, yet one of her lines evokes the biggest laugh of the show.

Mo Tuiteleleapaga is fine as the wise father of the Bennet brood. Royen Kent is acceptable as Gravatt’s suitor. Chelan Glovan chills the air as the dowager Lady Catherine, bent on preventing a union between Elizabeth and Darcy, while Zach Simons is an ingratiating military officer.

Paul Eggington’s setting consists of rear projections of handsome English countryside photos, while the actors assemble and reassemble the set pieces during the numerous scene changes. Eggington also contributes the authentic-sounding music heard during these breaks.

At nearly three hours, “Pride and Prejudice” fairly begs for some judicious pruning. It is, however, an interesting scenario beyond all the requisite formality.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Pride and Prejudice”

WHERE: Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

WHEN: Closing performances at 8 tonight and Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday

COST: $12 and $14

CALL: (714) 668-6145

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear Thursdays.