Taming of the Shrew

Putting on a Shakespeare comedy must be like asking a performer to play the guitar, juggle, and tell jokes at the same time. There are so many individual elements that the writer has threaded together to form his canvas. In Taming of the Shrew, he plays with the Italian commedia dell'arte style and the 'masked' characters and situations that audiences expected in the 17th century, while smuggling in an unexpected love story. Award-winning Damien Ryan has lived and breathed Shakespeare's works, presenting many through his company, Sport for Jove, as well as performing for other theatre companies. He has said that Shakespeare provides us with "an x-ray of human behaviour". And there's certainly something in our DNA that loves a good 'battle of the sexes' or 'clash of the classes' comedy: Taming of the Shrew gives us both – sometimes controversially – playing on social stereotypes for laughs. Ryan continues that tradition, providing audiences with a delightfully funny play that pulls out all the stops – from slapstick pratfalls to sitcom smarts. Placing his Padua in an Italian silent film set of the 1920s gives the audience the visual feast they deserve after a year away from the playhouses. The showcase of sophisticated stagecraft provides a playground for his performers, with rolling struts, platforms and ladders extending into the audience, plus projection screens used (just the right amount) to add to the fun. This is all courtesy of superb design realisation by Adam Gardnir, backed up by a witty and smart sound design by Tony Brumpton – that includes low-flying Tiger Moths, rolling seas, and film premiere flash bulbs, all amidst a jazz-era soundtrack – and pristine lighting design by Jason Glenwright.  

This play is populated by some of our freshest talent, giving audiences a great chance to see our future stars today, many making their QT debuts. I get the feeling that the casting will suit the streamed version, QT's first show available by digital subscription. These are all performers going places and it's a treat to catch them in this strong ensemble cast. Anna McGahan is a feisty and modern Kate with a penchant for aviation, matched in her need to travel to greater heights by Nicholas Brown's Petruchio who envisions himself as a great sea-faring explorer. Both actors emit the right energy for these restless souls who, in the end, can fight all they want, but cannot resist their attraction, or the strange calm it eventually brings. I love how the final 'Kiss me, Kate' line has been recast (not rewritten) in a simple solution to rebalance the power (and share the compromise).

Patrick Jhanur (Lucentio) and David Soncin (Hortensio) play the charming suitors to the hilt, and both have a fabulously entertaining stage presence. There's an added twist that works well for the comedy (although perhaps less well for romantic nuance). The other Minola sister, Bianca, is played by Claudia Ware as a reluctant screen star. She has a strong stage presence, and has an amazing sideline in Flamenco! The sister act is taken one step further with Ellen Bailey playing 'Tania', a new take on Tranio, in a gender-shifting charade that I think Shakespeare would have gladly sanctioned. The second act is set – well, let's just say the setting matches the characters' feelings of being adrift – and is highly animated thanks to some nifty work by Bailey who doubles as the production's movement director. Filmed home movies and flashbacks help fill in the sisters' family background and, as for the Bard's perennial favourite of donning disguises, it's best to see the production yourself and enjoy the many laughs as a result. As an actor himself, Shakespeare famously provides routine space for the popular comics of his day. Here we have an exclusive club of multitalented character performers that are worth the price of admission alone. Leading the troupe is Bryan Probets, superb as both the downtrodden servant Grumio and overdramatic suitor/actor Gremio – he is having a hoot (and watch out for his sneaky send-up of well-known Shakespearean thespians). John McNeill as Baptista and Barbara Lowing as Vincentia and the Haberdasher are stage stalwarts who can dependably deliver the drama along with the comedy. Wendy Mocke is delightful as the rich widow, Rosa (as well as other sound-stage characters) and Leon Cain steals his scenes as the Tailor (who may be modelled on a famous Italian fashionista). What is in no doubt is that he is hilarious.

There is a lot going on and, despite the showiness of Shakespeare's musical juggler, giving the audience the space to hear the words, the poetry, the comedy, and piece together the story's threads for themselves is a key part of the audience satisfaction factor. For me, there has never been any controversy with the play's more difficult scenes, including Kate's final speech – which all felt a little bit skated over on opening night. But I'm sure that Ryan's pitch-perfect juggler will give his guitar a tune up to add that space and balance the play's threads as its run continues.

Beth Keehn

Photos: Brett Boardman