Titus Groan first catalyst is the birth of Titus Groan, the heir to Lord Sepulchrave, which interrupts the centuries-old daily rituals which are practiced at all levels of the castle's society, from the kitchens to the Hall of Bright Carvings in Gormenghast's upper reaches. Though he is the title character and integral to the plot, Titus appears only infrequently as an infant during his first two years of life. The second is Steerpike, a ruthlessly ambitious kitchen boy, whose rise drives the plot of "Titus Groan". His escape from the kitchen during the castle celebration of Lord Titus' birth introduces change into
Gormenghast (series) Darkness" (adapted from Peake's novella "Boy in Darkness") was the first production from the BBC Drama Lab. It was set in a 'virtual' computer-generated world created by young computer game designers, and starred Jack Ryder as "The Boy" (a teenage Titus Groan), with Terry Jones narrating. In 2017, it was announced that Neil Gaiman and Akiva Goldsman would adapt the series into a television series for FremantleMedia. A minimalist stage version of Gormenghast performed by the David Glass Ensemble, relying heavily on mime, toured theatres in the UK during 2006 and 2007. A stage version of "Titus Alone" was produced