TITUS

TITUS is based on Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, one of his earliest tragedies, marked by extreme violence and by themes such as the trauma of war, the thirst for revenge, the relation to power, autocracy, misogyny, and the absence of limits in pursuing an end — whether political or personal.

Cátia Pinheiro and José Nunes join forces with Hugo van der Ding to revisit this work defined by excess — of violence, of blood, of desire for power — exploring its disturbing relevance in our time, when violence resurfaces with new faces, under authoritarian discourses of just war and peace imposed by force, and when violence becomes normalized as a way of resolving conflicts.

The timelessness of Titus Andronicus lies precisely in its ability to expose the darkest side of the human condition. Shakespeare, by placing violence at the heart of the drama, does not celebrate it — he reveals it. And in doing so, he invites us to recognize the echoes of that barbarity in our own time.

18 January – Post-show conversation with Maria Sequeira Mendes

Debate Echoes of Titus Andronicus: From Tragedy to Geopolitics
Joana Ricarte and Nuno Severiano Teixeira
Moderated by Rui Maria Pêgo
Thursday, 22 January at 7:00pm
Sala Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen

Approximate duration: 60 min

Starting from the performance TITUS, inspired by Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, this conversation proposes a reflection on war, revenge, and the cycles of violence that run through history and persist in the present. Drawing on this Shakespearean tragedy—marked by excess violence, bloodshed, and a desire for power—the debate opens onto the contemporary conflicts that define our time, with particular attention to Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. Through a dialogue between art, critical thought, and political analysis, the discussion questions the trivialization of violence and the growing normalization of warlike rhetoric and actions in contemporary society, calling on theatre as a privileged space for thinking about the world and its open wounds.

Capacity 150 Participants
Free admission upon presentation of a ticket. Tickets will be available for collection two hours before the start of the debate (from 5:00 pm).