Titus

CUESHEET PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Titus Presented by Red Bridge Arts from Scotland

By Jan Sobrie New English Version by Oliver Emanuel Directed by Lu Kemp

Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences

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A Boy on the Edge Ten-year-old Titus has seen life’s disappointments pile

Then he tells about Tina and Titus together—“T and T.”

up and he’s on edge—the edge of the school roof to be

And how Tina’s mom doesn’t like Titus. She bans him

exact. From that perch, he shares the story of his life

from visiting her daughter, and Tina sends a letter telling

and all the losses that have left him hurting—as the tips

Titus she can’t see him anymore.

of his sneakers dangle in the air. He still has his wicked sense of humor, but can he find a ray of hope and

All those moments of heartbreak have pushed Titus to the

happiness for the future?

edge of the school roof. As he looks down, he begins to list all the people and things he wants to delete from his

Titus describes how down below everyone is

memory. As he counts down to making a choice, he gets

watching whether he’ll jump—his headmaster, teacher,

a glimpse of something...another way to be.

classmates, even his dad, are all there. All the while, he spins out the funny and painful stories of what led him to a place balanced between giving up and carrying on.

How he lives with his father above the family butcher shop. How Titus writes his thoughts, hopeful and raw, on the walls of his bedroom.

Titus explains how his dad is too busy to listen to him, how his dad can’t be bothered to buy his school picture, and how his dad forgets to pick up Titus after a field trip.

Titus also describes being forced to see a psychologist Dr. Head (really, that’s his name!).

Then there is Tina, a girl...a girl he likes very, very much.

So much, he has written her name more than 1,000 times on his wall.

And his absent mom, who may or may not have been an Olympic swimming champion.

And his grandmother, his gran, who recently died and left him with many happy memories of growing up, but also a deep feeling of loneliness.

And his dad, sitting on his son’s bed and crying for two hours with his own broken heart.

Meet the Characters Titus — a ten-year-old boy standing on the edge of the school roof Although Titus is a one-person show, he populates his story with other characters. Here’s a guide: Dad — Titus’s father, who owns a butcher shop Gran — Titus’s grandmother, who recently died Mom — Titus’s mother, who might be living on a tropical island somewhere Dr. Richard Head — a psychologist with bad breath The Headmaster — the school principal Mr. Woss — Titus’s teacher Itchy Billy — a friend Tina — the girl Titus laughs, dances, and swims with

A Few Terms to Know

What to Look and Listen for

The English version of Titus was written for audiences in

Titus is told completely through the eyes and words

the United Kingdom, especially Scotland and England.

of the ten-year-old title character. As he shares his

It includes a few terms that may be new to American

memories, the story flies between events and people.

audiences:

With this in mind, check out:

chips — the British version of French fries

n how the actor shows he is standing on the edge of

clothes peg — clothes pin

a roof.

conkers — horse chestnuts, a round, dark brown nut

n the ways the adult actor portrays ten-year-old Titus.

headmaster — school principal

n how Titus creates other characters and has

Nurofen — a painkiller, like aspirin P5 — stands for “Primary 5” in British schools; it’s the same as fifth grade in U.S. schools stovies — a Scottish dish of stewed vegetables, featuring potatoes and onions and meat (but its veggies only for Titus since he’s a vegetarian!). It’s often made of leftovers.

conversations with them. n how Titus uses his body, face, and words to communicate what he’s feeling.

Think About This…

After the Performance

n What does Titus want?

Titus is a play about a serious subject affecting young

n How does he feel about himself?

people today. If you, or someone you know, is in need of

n When does he seem he the

someone to talk to, please use the following resources:

saddest? Most disappointed?

Most upset?

Suicide Prevention Hotline

n What actions does he take after telling about a painful experience?

What does he do after the death of his

This site contains advice and paths to support specifically for young people who are going through difficult times. There’s also a phone number with

gran or his break-up with Tina? n Does his relationship with his dad change during the play?

a real person on the other end ready to help: 1-800-273-8255. suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/

n What does Titus really mean when

youth/

he says, “I don’t believe in impossible wishes anymore” at the end of the play? n What parts of the play are funny? What parts of the play are sad? How do the two reactions work together? n At the end, Titus remembers his mom

Teenager’s Guide to Depression An online guide with resources for when life seems to be spinning out of control. helpguide.org/articles/depression/ teenagers-guide-to-depression.htm

telling him, “Life is beautiful.” What does that mean for him at that point? What does it mean to you? n When is life not so beautiful? How do you try to deal with it? If you’re unsure about

Conquering Depression: How I Became My Own Hero by Hunter Kent at TedxYouth@CEHS A teen shares her first-person story of dealing

how to handle something you’re dealing

with depression and hopelessness.

with, think about talking to an adult you like

youtube.com/watch?v=Rv9SwZWVkOs

and trust.

Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided by The Clark Charitable Foundation; the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

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Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2017 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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