THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.
Tour
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
by William Shakespeare.
Theatre Royal Plymouth & Thelma Holt production on tour.
Runs 2hr 35min One interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 21 October at Theatre Royal Norwich.
No corners cut, no tatty touring set, no mediocrity surrounding a single star. And no routine run-through: there are fresh ideas here.
These mainly apply around the central love-war duet of Katherina and Petruchio. Baptista, father to aggressive Katherina and younger beauty Bianca, is normally above the play's emotional tides apart from his fretfulness over his unmarriageable elder daughter. As Bianca's father, everyone is nice to him most of the men either want to marry Bianca, or work for those who do.
It's not unusual to find a manipulative Bianca, who realises wide eyes and smiles are more effective in getting her way than Katherina's anger. Olivia Darnley's sweet, blonde younger sister is this way inclined (there's a tougher look when nobody's watching). Mark Rosenblatt's production points up the moment when Geoffrey Freshwater's finely-played Baptista stares amazed across the stage upon finding daddy's little girl secretly married. His world's tumbled upside-down; what else doesn't he understand about this woman?
The moment's neatly balanced in the final scene when Baptista awards Petruchio a further dowry. Usually this is a lively part of the concluding high spirits. Freshwater plays it with quiet wonder. Katherina is a new person but she'd been there, undetected, within the daughter he thought he knew.
Yet he'd only seen the resentful young woman he'd thrown to the ground to her surprise and the pain of a sprained ankle (hence the limp Petruchio mentions). Not so young there's a big age gap between McAuliffe and Darnley's characters. Katherina picks it out in her reaction to being called older.
McAuliffe also charts the developing relationship with Petruchio. When her family refuse to defend her at her wedding she stalks off to Petruchio's in disgust. Once there, for all his cruelty, she recognises a like spirit and believes she's built an understanding long before he does there's definite surprise he hasn't recognised the relationship.
Ross Kemp's approach is older-style Shakespeare playing, with over-busy facial expressions, and more reaction than inter-relationship. But it's an honest job. Wayne Cater makes a neat servant's point, arriving home at Petruchio's to talk with bitter tone about the servant's lot. Well-played all round, this is widely-available Shakespeare that's fresh and fun, to be applauded and enjoyed.
Lucentio: Edmund Kingsley.
Tranio: Michael Matus.
Baptista: Geoffrey Freshwater.
Katherina: Nichola McAuliffe.
Bianca: Olivia Darnley.
Hortensio: Nicholas Boulton.
Gremio: Robert Demeger.
Biondello: Nick Cavaliere.
Petruchio: Ross Kemp.
Grumio: Wayne Cater.
Baptista:Housekeeper/Widow: Elizabeth Payne.
Baptista's Maid: Chloe Potter.
Curtis: Edwardd Clayton.
Nathaniel/Salesman/Officer: Robert Goodale.
Philip/Milliner: Richard Aloi.
Peter/Officer: Paul O' Mahony.
Joseph/Tailor: Samuel Roukin.
Vincentio: Jack Power.
Director: Mark Rosenblatt.
Designer: Jon Bausor.
Lighting: Chris Davey.
Sound: Matt Dando.
Music: Simon Allen.
2003-10-26 13:20:39