Reimagining The Shrew in Hollywood's Silent Era

Talking Shakespeare's riffs on acting, disguise and keeping up appearances with the cast of Taming of the Shrew.

A week before opening night of Queensland Theatre’s production of Taming of the Shrew at the Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane, Stage Whispers' Beth Keehn met the main couples in Shakespeare's classic battle-of-the-sexes tale. In director, Damien Ryan's reimagining, the play is set in the 1920's silent film era. Anna McGahan plays Katharina, Nicholas Brown plays Petruchio, Claudia Ware plays Bianca, and Patrick Jhanur plays Lucentio.

When did you first encounter Mr Shakespeare?

Claudia: Funnily enough, my first real encounter with Shakespeare's work was a production by our director Damien Ryan in 2009 – it was A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Rose Garden in Sydney – and that was the first time I'd seen Shakespeare performed live. I remember thinking that it was such a visceral, alive, animated experience of Shakespeare, and that was the night I decided I wanted to be an actor. So, more than 10 years later, it has come full circle, and here I am working for Damien on this production!

Patrick: Like so many, I read Shakespeare at high school, but it was a bit of a miss for me at first. It wasn't until I went to drama school and started to understand the depth of his imagery and poetry, and the psychological depth of the characters, that I really started to get into it.

Shakespeare riffs a lot about acting and, in this play, everyone seems to be putting on an act. Is it complicated to play?

Claudia: Everyone's playing a character, everyone's putting on a mask. Everyone's grappling with why they put on that mask and how and when to remove it. For Bianca, in this production, we've tried to heighten the relationship between the two sisters: what it means to be a sister, and the dynamism that comes out of that – I've got two sisters so I understand the dynamic!

Anna: In the hands of different men, Petruchio can be played very differently, and that impacts directly on how we perceive the play – how we view his actions, and how we view Katharina's experience. It's been so interesting forming that dynamic with Nick and working with Damien to find a way through the play – not to completely solve it or reduce it, but to empower our characters.

Nick: I was challenged by re-reading the play and intrigued at how we were going to tackle the very strange, bizarre love story, the comedy and romance, that comes out of quite an odd, chaotic world. What's been exciting is that we've looked to the women – the actors in the play – to make decisions for us. And Anna's portrayal of Katharina is very intelligent and sensitive, despite the character often being out of control. It's a really interesting interpretation. She has managed to infuse that into the play, which is exciting.

This version of Taming of the Shrew has an unusual setting – how has that changed your preparation for the play?

Claudia: The 1920's silent film era helps to underscore bits of psychological music in the play, which is so preoccupied with appearance and disguise and costuming. By setting it in that world, Damien has created a really fun playground for us – with really clear parameters for us to explore those ideas.

Patrick: The context really aids Lucentio's ambition. The film world makes what's driving my character really specific and interesting, and quite a competitive dynamic to play with.

Why do you think audiences are going to love this production of Taming of the Shrew?

Claudia: The work is incredibly dynamic and, just when you think you know a play, Damien reinvents it with a force and rigour that makes you feel like you've never seen it before.

Patrick: Every single fibre of the whole play has been given so much nuance and so much attention, care and detail – I think Damien has created something that is complex and vivid.

Anna: It's a spectacular! What Damien has created is truly theatrical, with attention to detail and a passion for Shakespeare and for theatricality – that is going to be incredibly exciting and satisfying for audiences.

Taming of the Shrew opens on 13 May and is also available online in QT's new Digital Series: https://queenslandtheatre.com.au/plays/taming-of-the-shrew

Coming up ... we talk to director, Damien Ryan, and Designer, Adam Gardnir.

Photos: Brett Boardman