Review by Shanna Provost
Shakespeare’s works have been enjoyed by 16 generations since he put quill to paper: the Bard’s popularity over four centuries (and counting) could be put down to the many and varied interpretations of his works.
The Taming of the Shrew is often considered his most contentious piece due to its sexual politics and power dynamics that sees men making bets on their ability to browbeat their wives into subservience.
Bell Shakespeare Company commits to making Shakespeare’s work more accessible and palatable to as many Australians as possible. If the Twitters that flew around after Canberra’s opening night of ‘The Shrew’ is any indication, it has done its job well.
Beth Aubrey, Emily Brennan, Jeanette Cronin, Vanessa Downing, Judi Farr, Sandy Gore, Luisa Hastings Edge, Anna Houston, Ksenja Logos, Lotte St Clair and Wendy Strehlow join forces as women playing men, dressed as men in conflict with women playing women (dressed as women).
The sexist overtones in this farcical comedy could make post-feminist audiences squirm. The beauty of Shrew is that it can be held up by women (particularly feminists) at large for its casting a powerful light on sexism today.
Director Marion Potts has been very clever in enlisting an all-female cast. In our emancipated times, Potts knew that watching real men treat women so appallingly could alienate today’s audiences and distract from the real issues.
The overall feel of the play is quite sensual. The women playing women are very curvy and alluring, with the women playing men sitting comfortably in their ‘male’ bodies. We never lose sight of the fact that these women are clearly giving their take on an overtly chauvinistic script. (And the program makes for fascinating supporting material on the seriousness of their work).
The cast is strong with veteran actor Sandy Gore setting a high benchmark for her cohorts. It’s hard to pick favourites as they all do their job admirably, however Jeanette Cronin shines as the irascible Petruchio—a fortune seeker bent on breaking the will of the feisty Kate. Her commitment to the role sustains a high energy throughout and compels the audience to continually be engaged—a challenge for some audiences trying to grapple with the 16th Century language as it flies quickly around the stage.
The set is not as visually exciting as the company’s previous productions, but it serves the plot well in its simplicity. It’s refreshing to see The Playhouse pared back to bare minimum (no blacks on either side). The clock (which stayed resolutely at 5.50 throughout) was the only distraction aside from the bank of disco balls in the first act that sometimes created an unfortunate glare. Costumes were outstanding, particularly those in the ‘hat scene’.
The jury is still out for me on the karaoke interjects—they worked well to transition scenes, but I’m just not sure that they add much to the stage business really.
I would recommend this production to purists right through to those who haven’t been exposed to a great deal of Shakespeare. It is, in its deepest essence, a love story: a tale of two eccentric rebels who must fight and challenge each other before they will admit to being deeply kindred spirits—and in that process we (both men and women) get to re-explore our own positions on the power dynamics between our sexes.
I think younger audiences particularly will love this interpretation—in fact my Gen Y son says it is the best play he has ever seen, and believe me, I’ve dragged him along to a lot of productions in his 21 years!
WHAT: The Taming of the Shrew
WHERE: Canberra Playhouse
WHEN: Until 17 October
BOOKINGS: 02 6275 2700
