Well… former critic-at-large for The Beat and current blogger-at-large for Horizon Records, George Kanzler, came to Taming of the Shrew last weekend. And he had this to say about it:
The Taming of the Shrew By William Shakespeare
Presented by the Distracted Globe Theatre Company
Thurs, Fri, Sat - June 26, 27, 28 at 8 p.m.
Warehouse Theatre, 37 Augusta St., Greenville
Review by George Kanzler
Forget about the supposed “sexist, anti-feminist” speech of fealty to a husband by the title character that climaxes this play. By the time it comes, and in the way it is delivered, it reflects and enhances the spirit of farcical comedy that we’ve been seeing for over two hours. Director Jayce Tromsness realizes “The Taming of the Shrew” is one of Shakespeare’s most outrightly and hilariously funny plays, and his production milks it for laughs. He also hedges his bets on the “anti-feminist” issue by using the rarely performed prolugue and epilogue of the play, a framing device that makes it a play within a play about a drunkard deceived into believing he’s a nobleman seeing a play, and so enthralled by the play he jumps in to play the hero. (Cole Porter ran with the same concept of play within a play with “Kiss Me Kate,” his musical about a company doing “Shrew.”)
Using a large cast that seems to include students as well as “associate artists” from the Distracted Globe Theatre Company, Tromsness mounts a 3-ring circus presentation replete with pantomime clowns doing commedia dell’arte style entr’acte interludes. And he fully illuminates the secondary and subplots, filling them with rich comic details, like the false Vincentio constantly checking his lines and character’s names on a crib sheet. The play is a farce and it’s played that way - over-the-top - which keeps the laughs rolling along. Lauren Dykes as Baptista’s younger daughter, Bianca, vamps it up as a spoiled vixen who is not as innocent as her father would believe. Rhydwyn Davies has a ball with Tranio, the comic servant posing as his master Lucentio, one of Bianca’s suitors. And Andy Croston is a study in heroic consternation as Grumio, Petruchio’s poor, put-upon servant.
But as much as the subplots and supporting cast bubbles and sizzles, this could not be a really good “Shrew” without a memorable, and sparklingly compatible, Katherine and Petruchio. And in Jennifer Goff and Jason M. Shipman, this production brings us an unforgettable couple with real stage chemistry. With good direction, it’s fairly easy for this battling pair to hilariously erupt in their epic encounters, beginning with the opening meeting/courtship that plays here like a version of Extreme Fighting blended with Three Stooges. What’s harder is to portray the sexual frisson that also erupts between the two. But Goff and Shipman make it palpable whenever they respond to the line Porter took for his musical, “Kiss me Kate.” Here are two passionate, headstrong characters who are, amazingly, attracted to and right for each other. So when Goff delivers Kate’s mea culpa speech, it’s not so much “anti-feminist” as pro-love, as well as a clever affirmation of her superiority to the other women, whom she’s just beaten in a wager accruing to Petruchio’s benefit.
So come see our play! Thursday, Friday and Saturday!
"Awww… I wanted a friend… and I killed a rabbit."
“Shaw gives all of us the ability to always be right. But, I don’t know. I could be wrong.”
Nick Simon. Yup. The third of our little Warehouse Journeyman birdies to fly away. This one’s flying off to attend culinary school in New York. YUM! So here’s a little blog love for Nick Simon. Come back to us some day! And then make us dinner!
"The commies are taking over baseball."
