THE GORY SHAKESPEARE THAT MAKES PEOPLE TO FAINT

** good afternoon lady and gentlemen your welcome hive

Good theatre has the power to really move us – a statement that's usually taken metaphorically, rather than literally. Yet when it comes to Shakespeare's bloodiest play, Titus Andronicus, its impact can be so visceral it causes audience members to faint. I should know: while reviewing a production at Shakespeare's Globe in London, back in 2014, its disturbingly violent scenes caused me to start to feel light-headed, even while safely sat down in my seat. Unfortunately, it was a bench with no back: before the end of the first half, I had fainted away completely, falling backwards and waking up in a stranger's lap.
Warning: this article contains some graphic descriptions of violence

And I was far from the only person to have such a full-bodied response to Lucy Bailey's production of this gory revenge tragedy: the press went wild for stories of "droppers", with more than 100 people fainting during the run – testament to the immense power of Shakespeare's writing, and the skill of performers, as well as to the props department's handling of litres of fake blood.
Simon Annand Stephen Boxer as Titus in a 2013 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Titus – most versions feature copious blood (Credit: Simon Annand)
Warning: this article contains some graphic descriptions of violence

And I was far from the only person to have such a full-bodied response to Lucy Bailey's production of this gory revenge tragedy: the press went wild for stories of "droppers", with more than 100 people fainting during the run – testament to the immense power of Shakespeare's writing, and the skill of performers, as well as to the props department's handling of litres of fake blood.
Simon Annand Stephen Boxer as Titus in a 2013 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Titus – most versions feature copious blood (Credit: Simon Annand)