Cannibalism, severed hands and severed heads, rape, murder, tragedy and - of course - the Classics. These are a few of the delights audiences have to look forward to in Titus Andronicus. It's a play of extremes, as likely to provoke severe discomfort as severe delight. Titus has claimed its fair share of critical attention. In particular, its florid violence and the striking, tragic figure of Lavinia have proven a potent touchstone of modern Shakespearean criticism. But, for critics, the play is often just that: a touchstone, a way station to bigger and better things. In it, critics find...