TEHRAN-An adaptation of English playwright and poet William Shakespeare’s play “Titus Andronicus” is currently on stage at Iranshahr Theater in Tehran. 

Masoud Tayyebi is the director of the play, which has been renamed “Bloody Dawn”. 

Alireza Jalalitabar, Aram Nikbin, Sadaf Beheshti, Ali Yaqubi and Keivan Bahrami are the main members of the cast for the play, which will remain on stage until Friday. 

Titus Andronicus, believed to have been penned by William Shakespeare between 1588 and 1593, is considered to be the poet's first tragic work. Shakespeare may have drawn inspiration from the popularity of violent and bloody revenge plays of his time, popular among 16th-century audiences.

The play follows Titus, a Roman general, who presents Tamora, Queen of the Goths, as a slave to the new Roman emperor, Saturninus. To enact revenge for the death of her son, Tamora plots against Titus, resulting in a spiral of retribution involving Titus and his family.

Initially, Titus Andronicus was well-received, but its standing declined in the later 17th century. The Victorian era particularly frowned upon it due to its explicit violence. However, in the mid-20th century, the play began to regain recognition, though it remains one of Shakespeare's lesser-appreciated works.

William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the greatest playwright in English literature, was born in 1564. Throughout his career, Shakespeare wrote an impressive body of work that includes over 36 plays, 154 sonnets, and several poems. His plays span across various genres, including tragedies like "Hamlet" and "Macbeth," comedies such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Twelfth Night," and histories like "Henry V" and "Richard III." Shakespeare's works are renowned for their intricate plots, memorable characters, and profound insights into the human condition, making them timeless pieces of literature that continue to captivate audiences worldwide.

SAB/