際際滷

際際滷Share a Scribd company logo

Brian Cox: Titus Andronicus

Cam M. Roberts
Cam M. Roberts

Brian Cox is a Scottish actor born in 1946 who is renowned for his stage and screen performances. The document discusses Cox's acclaimed performance as Titus Andronicus in the 1987 Royal Shakespeare Company production, directed by Deborah Warner. An interview with Cox covers his interpretation of Titus, including that the character's tragic flaw is being unquestioning and becoming brutalized, and his journey is to reclaim his humanity. The production was hailed as one of the greatest Shakespeare revivals of the 1980s.

1 of 13
BRIAN COX Titus Andronicus by Cam M. Roberts
Production Photo of Brian Cox (right) in performance, playing the titular role, Titus Andronicus.
Date of Birth: June 1st, 1946. Birthplace: Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom Birth Name: Brian Dennis Cox Race: Caucasian (White) Height: 5 9 村
Titus Andronicus (15912) Royal Shakespeare Company Opened at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon on May 12th, 1987 Directed by Deborah Warner Designed by Isabella Bywater With Jim Hooper as Saturninus, Estelle Kohler as TAMORA, Peter Polycarpou as AARON, and Sonia Ritter as LAVINIA.
Titus Andronicus was again a tremendous success with Brian Coxs performance in Deborah Warners 1987 RSC staging in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. It was hailed as one of the greatest Shakespeare revivals of the 1980s. When Working out a wish list of performance I hoped to include in this book, Coxs Titus was a leading contender. I was stunned by it Julian Curry, p. 2.
Cox on Shakespeare CURRY: Its in the text? COX: Its in the text. It really is.
CURRY: Most of the characters seem fairly straightforward, apart form Titus. But hes wonderfully complex. Going back to the beginning of the play, why did you turn down the candidacy to be Emperor? And why did you support Saturninus? COX: I think its the fact that hes a soldier, hes not a politician. And hes not of royal blood. There are feudal elements to the play, and he sees very clearly where he is on the feudal ladder. He makes the wrong choice in supporting Saturninus, but he does it in order to safeguard something which he believes that things are going to be better served by Saturninus. And he makes a massive error of judgment. Actually the reason he doesnt take on the candidacy of Rome is because he doesnt want it. He doesnt want to be Emperor, thats not who he is. Curry, p. 10.
CURRY: He says Im too old, too tired, youll have to elect somebody else tomorrow But do you think he really means it? Does he want to be asked three times? COX: No, I dont think he does, I think thats his honesty. Hes an honest, bluff old soldier. Thats what makes him an attractive character.
CURRY: Would you say Titus has a tragic flaw? COX: Yes, his tragic flaw is that he doesnt ask questions. Hes unquestioning, hes a killing machine, and as a result he becomes brutalized. He sees the death of his sons as being rather noble. But then it impinges on him. When youve got thirty sons you dont notice it, but when its down to four you begin to think Hang on, theyve all gone!
CURRY: So whats his journey through the play? What does he learn? COX: The journey is to realize that hes lost his humanity, and to try to reclaim it. Which is what he does, in a sense, even by the dastardly killing of his daughter. And his line is guaranteed because at the end of the play his son takes over. Its really interesting that at the beginning of the play he was obviously a bit of a her. He was a very popular figure. But if you are in the face of such action for so long, and youre used to serving, serving, serving, you begin not to be able to see further than the end of your nose. It happens to a lot of old soldiers, you know. Soldiers on the whole tend to live long lives, and they go through changes. They can emerge quite wise, but sometimes they behave brutally.
"Women are all layers. What men dont understand is that there is no centre to get to, but to appreciate the beauty and the mystery of the woman in all her layers."
Bibliography Cox, Brian. Salem to Moscow: An Actors Odyssey. London: Methuen, 1991. Print. Curry, Julian. Shakespeare on Stage: Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles. London: Nick Hearn Books, 2010. Print. Harold, Madd. The Actors Guide to Performing Shakespeare: For Film, Television, and Theatre. Hollywood: Lone Eagle, 2002. Print. Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004051/ Rotten Tomatoes http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1003427-brian_cox/ Fandango http://www.fandango.com/briancox/overview/p86106 The Unofficial Fan Site of Brian Cox http://www.coxian.com/ The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/jul/03/theatre The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/6138010/My-week-Brian-Cox-Actor.html The Gothamist http://gothamist.com/2007/11/21/brian_cox_actor.php Talk Talk http://www.talktalk.co.uk/entertainment/film/biography/artist/brian-cox/biography/14
Bibliography The Scotsman http://www.scotsman.com/news/interview_brian_cox_actor_1_474157 BAFTA: Guru http://guru.bafta.org/ The Fawcett Society http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=436 Wire Image http://www.wireimage.com/celebrities/brian-cox Movie Clips http://movieclips.com/payPY-brian-cox-actor-videos/#p=1 A Conversation with Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2003) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/2115 A Conversation with actor Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2004) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/1354 A Conversation with actor Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2006) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/157 Brian Cox Interview: Manhunter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccPeC-uRI2c Brian Cox Acting in Tragedy, The BBC Acting Series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8qN2Gcdurw Brian Cox in Conversation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHESzaoWqsY

More Related Content

Brian Cox: Titus Andronicus

  • 1. BRIAN COX Titus Andronicus by Cam M. Roberts
  • 2. Production Photo of Brian Cox (right) in performance, playing the titular role, Titus Andronicus.
  • 3. Date of Birth: June 1st, 1946. Birthplace: Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom Birth Name: Brian Dennis Cox Race: Caucasian (White) Height: 5 9 村
  • 4. Titus Andronicus (15912) Royal Shakespeare Company Opened at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon on May 12th, 1987 Directed by Deborah Warner Designed by Isabella Bywater With Jim Hooper as Saturninus, Estelle Kohler as TAMORA, Peter Polycarpou as AARON, and Sonia Ritter as LAVINIA.
  • 5. Titus Andronicus was again a tremendous success with Brian Coxs performance in Deborah Warners 1987 RSC staging in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. It was hailed as one of the greatest Shakespeare revivals of the 1980s. When Working out a wish list of performance I hoped to include in this book, Coxs Titus was a leading contender. I was stunned by it Julian Curry, p. 2.
  • 6. Cox on Shakespeare CURRY: Its in the text? COX: Its in the text. It really is.
  • 7. CURRY: Most of the characters seem fairly straightforward, apart form Titus. But hes wonderfully complex. Going back to the beginning of the play, why did you turn down the candidacy to be Emperor? And why did you support Saturninus? COX: I think its the fact that hes a soldier, hes not a politician. And hes not of royal blood. There are feudal elements to the play, and he sees very clearly where he is on the feudal ladder. He makes the wrong choice in supporting Saturninus, but he does it in order to safeguard something which he believes that things are going to be better served by Saturninus. And he makes a massive error of judgment. Actually the reason he doesnt take on the candidacy of Rome is because he doesnt want it. He doesnt want to be Emperor, thats not who he is. Curry, p. 10.
  • 8. CURRY: He says Im too old, too tired, youll have to elect somebody else tomorrow But do you think he really means it? Does he want to be asked three times? COX: No, I dont think he does, I think thats his honesty. Hes an honest, bluff old soldier. Thats what makes him an attractive character.
  • 9. CURRY: Would you say Titus has a tragic flaw? COX: Yes, his tragic flaw is that he doesnt ask questions. Hes unquestioning, hes a killing machine, and as a result he becomes brutalized. He sees the death of his sons as being rather noble. But then it impinges on him. When youve got thirty sons you dont notice it, but when its down to four you begin to think Hang on, theyve all gone!
  • 10. CURRY: So whats his journey through the play? What does he learn? COX: The journey is to realize that hes lost his humanity, and to try to reclaim it. Which is what he does, in a sense, even by the dastardly killing of his daughter. And his line is guaranteed because at the end of the play his son takes over. Its really interesting that at the beginning of the play he was obviously a bit of a her. He was a very popular figure. But if you are in the face of such action for so long, and youre used to serving, serving, serving, you begin not to be able to see further than the end of your nose. It happens to a lot of old soldiers, you know. Soldiers on the whole tend to live long lives, and they go through changes. They can emerge quite wise, but sometimes they behave brutally.
  • 11. "Women are all layers. What men dont understand is that there is no centre to get to, but to appreciate the beauty and the mystery of the woman in all her layers."
  • 12. Bibliography Cox, Brian. Salem to Moscow: An Actors Odyssey. London: Methuen, 1991. Print. Curry, Julian. Shakespeare on Stage: Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles. London: Nick Hearn Books, 2010. Print. Harold, Madd. The Actors Guide to Performing Shakespeare: For Film, Television, and Theatre. Hollywood: Lone Eagle, 2002. Print. Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004051/ Rotten Tomatoes http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1003427-brian_cox/ Fandango http://www.fandango.com/briancox/overview/p86106 The Unofficial Fan Site of Brian Cox http://www.coxian.com/ The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/jul/03/theatre The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/6138010/My-week-Brian-Cox-Actor.html The Gothamist http://gothamist.com/2007/11/21/brian_cox_actor.php Talk Talk http://www.talktalk.co.uk/entertainment/film/biography/artist/brian-cox/biography/14
  • 13. Bibliography The Scotsman http://www.scotsman.com/news/interview_brian_cox_actor_1_474157 BAFTA: Guru http://guru.bafta.org/ The Fawcett Society http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=436 Wire Image http://www.wireimage.com/celebrities/brian-cox Movie Clips http://movieclips.com/payPY-brian-cox-actor-videos/#p=1 A Conversation with Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2003) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/2115 A Conversation with actor Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2004) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/1354 A Conversation with actor Brian Cox: Charlie Rose Interview (2006) http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/157 Brian Cox Interview: Manhunter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccPeC-uRI2c Brian Cox Acting in Tragedy, The BBC Acting Series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8qN2Gcdurw Brian Cox in Conversation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHESzaoWqsY