Toxicity detoxified
My first visit to a Shakespeare in the Park (it does what it says on the tin) production – this year The Taming of the Shrew in 34 venues – mine Albert Square in Stockwell.
The Shrew is now considered a difficult play to stage – too many overtones of toxic masculinity and Andrew Tate – and yet it’s structurally otherwise a very good comedy.
How do you de-toxify it and yet leave it worth while staging? Toby Gordon’s take (the Director) was to stage it mid 50s, add songs from the period and leave us with the idea that maybe Katherine was always playing a game, sussed out Petruchio’s and fell in love with him anyway. (You do of course need to wind down considerably the bullying and its impact.)
And it worked. Even the closing bet as to which wife was the most amenable left us guessing that Katherine was in on it.
Result – happy cast and happy audience, and no sharp intake of breaths.
It needs a good and convincing Katherina (Sasha Wilson) – a slightly cuddly Petruchio (Roddy Lynch) and the rest of the cast able to support the leads.
Particularly strong was Kalifa Taylor’s Tranio – with voice projection which filled the square, even when she boldly turned her back to the audience.
With (1950s/ 60s) songs and comic turns and clowning it gave the audience a strong hint of what a touring Tudor play might have felt like for their contemporary audience – whilst the Shakespearian verse was delivered very effectively.
With the changes made for the times this was still a very honest production.