Rave Reviews for The Taming of the Shrew, 2010
Spirited ‘Shrew’ gets digs in at Stan Hywet
July 13, 2010, Akron Beacon Journal
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer
Kate and Petruchio are so madly mated in Ohio Shakespeare Festival’s The Taming of the Shrew, it makes for a ridiculously fine night of comedy at Stan Hywet’s lagoon.
Lara Knox, who has evolved into an exceptional actress in her years with the Akron festival, is a force to be reckoned with as spitfire Kate, her hair disheveled, eyes blazing and feet stomping as she bullies her sister, father and the rest of the men around her. Through Knox, we see a true arc of character as Kate grows from a vitriolic young woman to one of (mostly) serene beauty by play’s end.
In this Shakespearean comedy, Baptista (Tim Champion) will not allow his sweet, mild-mannered daughter Bianca (Tess Burgler) to marry until her older sister, Kate, is wed. Bianca’s suitors need to marry Kate off, and they find just the man in Petruchio.
Andrew Cruse creates a largesse of spirit and an expansive personality as Petruchio. This young man is the first to give Kate a big taste of her own nasty medicine in a ploy to break her of her hellcat habits.
Under the clever direction of Terry Burgler, The Taming of the Shrew delights at every turn.
In the seminal scene where Kate and Petruchio meet, Knox and Cruse enjoy some wonderful wrestling, slapping, stomping on each other’s feet and verbal sparring in an antithesis of romantic courting. The physical comedy’s a hoot, as is Petruchio’s bawdy talk.
Petruchio gains Kate’s hand and uses some perverse reverse psychology, complimenting the ill-tempered Kate with lovely attributes that he wants her to have.
It’s a thoroughly sexist premise that surely offends feminist sensibilities. But when Kate finally shares her first real kiss with Petruchio, we fall for their love nearly as hard as he does.
Looked at from a less sexist perspective, Shakespeare makes a good point about the necessity of spouses honoring each other in order to truly be equals. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Petruchio still enjoys watching the selectively feisty Kate get into a brawl with someone else by the play’s end.
In this production, Burgler incorporates rarely performed opening scenes involving drunk beggar Sly, whom a lord tricks into believing he is a nobleman who has been asleep for years. The Shrew story serves as a play within a play performed for Sly.
Eight years ago, Ohio Shakespeare Festival did not perform the Sly scenes for its inaugural summer at Stan Hywet. The material adds some humor to an already strong comedy, paving the way for a number of Shrew characters who will don disguises by having a male page dress as a very antsy-looking wife to the ”lord” Sly.
This is a story full of assumed identities, where suitors dress as teachers, a servant like his master and a traveling schoolmaster like one suitor’s father. Wandering around through it all is the pantaloon (foolish old man) Gremio, played with comic confusion by Henry Bishop.
This winning comedy continues through July 24 before Ohio Shakespeare Festival, in its ninth summer at Stan Hywet, switches gears with the tragedy King Lear July 29 to Aug. 15.
In a wink to the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me Kate, inspired by the Shakespearean comedy, Cruse sings the opening of the tune Where is the Life That Late I Led? rather than speaks the line. This cross-referencing elicited a number of laughs Friday.
At one point, Cruse’s Petruchio importuned the audience, ”He that know better how to tame a shrew, Now let him speak: ’tis charity to show.”
One guest up front was so engaged, he answered, ”You’re doing a good job!”
”Thank you,” Cruse said, breaking the fourth wall, ”Thank you for nothing,” looking comically agitated yet fully in character as he exited.
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Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527
Girl Gone Tame
An epic harridan is becalmed again in Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew
by Christine Howey, Cleveland Scene
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Presented by the Ohio Shakespeare Festival through July 24 at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron Tickets: $15-$30 ohioshakespeare.com
BITCH, FISHWIFE, SCOLD, battle axe — it seems there's never a failure of imagination when it comes to coining words for females of a somewhat ill humor. Meanwhile, men with similarly unpleasant attitudes tend to be described as aggressive, focused, or not suffering fools gladly.
Hey, they're all potential assholes, and one of the most famous among them is the redoubtable Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, now being produced by the Ohio Shakespeare Festival beside the lagoon at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens. One of Shakespeare's more delightful comedies, Shrew is packed with more false identities than a college bar at closing time. And this version is a delicious romp from start to finish, highlighted by two excellent performances in the lead roles.
Rich old Baptista has two daughters, the smiling and obsequious Bianca and, of course, Katherina, a wildcat in fine gowns and a woman who bruises with both words and fists. Bianca has suitors lined up from all over Padua but, as the elder sister, Kate has to be hitched first. Trouble is, she views most men as targets for her wrath, not as potential life partners.
Enter Petruchio, a gentleman from Verona brimming with self-confidence and a lusty desire for the wealth that Kate could bring to a marriage through her dowry. Petruchio assures the competitors for Bianca's hand that he will win Kate over so that the path will be clear for them to pursue their amorous schemes.
The introduction to this play within a play is entertaining thanks to Geoffrey Darling, whose woozy presence as the drunk tinker Christopher Sly sets up the wacky events to come. A passing lord (Scott Shriner) spies the passed-out Sly and decides to dress him up as a nobleman, for sport, and present him a show.
And quite a show he gets, especially when Lara Knox is onstage as Kate. Dark eyes flashing, she is a formidable force, making it more than understandable why normal men quake when she approaches. And Andrew Cruse is just as magnetic as Petruchio, virtually crooning his speeches with macho brio, spraying testosterone in every direction.
Their first scene together, when they use puns and wordplay as rapiers to fence with one another, is like a Shakespearean version of an MMA cage match. You could swear sparks flash as each tries to gain the upper hand but eventually fights to a draw.
Meanwhile, would-be Bianca lovers Lucentio (Brian McNally) and Hortensio (Jeremy Jenkins) disguise themselves as teachers to get near the girl of their dreams. And even Tranio (Joe Pine), Lucentio's servant, changes his identity and takes part. Much of the hilarity stems from these fellows as they contort themselves to please beauteous Bianca (a lovely but still-spirited Tess Burgler).
But the taming begins after Petruchio and Kate's hastily arranged marriage, when he begins to kill her with kindness. He denies her food and sleep for all manner of trumped-up "loving" reasons, and Cruse and Knox milk these juicy scenes for every chuckle imaginable. Even the most feminist observer can understand why she eventually gives in to this stubborn gadfly.
Many of the smaller roles are polished to a gleam, including Benjamin Fortin as the irritating, literal-minded servant Biondello and Tom Stephan as Lucentio's father Vincentio. The latter is particularly amusing when confronted on the road by Petruchio and Kate; Petruchio insists that the baffled Vincentio is a woman, just to force Kate to agree and toe the line. And although Henry C. Bishop seems a bit soft on lines at times, he triggers a number of laughs as Gremio, an elderly suitor of Bianca.
Once again, director Terry Burgler shows why he is a master at mounting Shakespeare's works, filling the stage with lively characterizations and an irrepressible sense of fun. Although Kate's submissive concluding speech grates against our ears and values today ("I am ashamed that women are so simple, to offer war when they should kneel for peace."), it fits the era and at least reminds us how far we've come.
Ohio Shakespeare Festival productions begin at 8 p.m., but it's always worthwhile to arrive early, check out the enchanting grounds, and enjoy the pre-show entertainment provided by younger cast members.
Send feedback to scene@clevescene.com.
Ohio Shakespeare Festival’s ‘Shrew’ ‘strong production’
7/15/2010 - West Side Leader
By David Ritchey
WEST AKRON — A friend recently asked me to name William Shakespeare’s couples who are still in love at the end of the play. The characters in the tragedies can be quickly dismissed. I don’t count those who get married just before the curtain call. That doesn’t leave many characters.
However, Katherine and Petruchio come to mind. They have been married for some time before the final scene of “The Taming of the Shrew.”
The Ohio Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is now staging “The Taming of the Shrew” at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens through July 24.
Both have been loud and boisterous, but marriage has tamed them. Both have reputations for boisterous behavior and brawling. But by the end of the play, they seem content.
Shakespeare wrote “The Taming of the Shrew” in the 1590s. Shakespeare wrote this play for an all-male cast. The women were played by boys or young men. Second, most of the audience was male. England at this time was a patriarchal society.
The OSF production is unique for including the induction scene. In most recent productions, the scene is cut in order to get on with the Katherine-Petruchio story. In the scene, Christopher Shy (Geoffrey Darling), a beggar, is tricked into thinking he has fallen asleep for 15 years and during those years married a woman and became a wealthy Lord. He is given a seat of honor to watch a group of traveling players who present “The Taming of the Shrew.” Certainly, the two stories have parallels.
Director Terry Burgler directed with wisdom. This is one of Shakespeare’s most difficult scripts to direct or perform. Some are critical of Katherine’s final speech in which she pledges to support her husband in all that he does. However, Burgler directs this scene to be played without coy winks or “I’m-teasing” gestures. But he also indicates that Petruchio has changed. Petruchio defends his wife and indicates she is not a shrew, but a loving, caring wife.
This love story matches two strong personalities: Katherine (Lara Knox) and Petruchio (Andrew Cruse). Cruse struts and poses as the macho tamer of a woman who brings a significant dowry into a marriage. Knox makes her character frustrated because no man of her equal has made an effort to court her. She has to test Petruchio’s abilities to be a husband and not bore her to death.
Bianca (Tess Burgler) is the sweet, younger sister of Katherine. Tess Burgler handles this tiresome role well. However, it’s time for her to have a strong role — she needs to play a shrew, a killer, an over-the-top bad girl. She must be bored playing so many sweet characters.
Shakespeare wrote for male actors and that might be why he gives the male characters such interesting assignments. Consider Baptista (Timothy Champion), Grumio (Scott Campbell), Gremio (Henry Bishop), Hortensio (Jeremy Jenkins), Lucentio (Brian McNally), Tranio (Joe Pine). These are great roles that give the actors something interesting to do. Fortunately for the audience, these guys did it well.
Vencentio (Tom Stephan) gives this gifted actor some of the best moments in the production. When Katherine and Petruchio meet Vencentio on the road to Bianca’s wedding, they pretend Vencentio is a woman and have lines about what a beautiful young virgin she is. Stephan with the movement of disbelief of one eyebrow or the turn of the head can stop the show with the audience’s laughter. Stephan turns this small role into a jewel.
Jonathan Fletcher (costume design) has dressed this large cast in historically accurate costumes that are a visual pleasure.
This is a strong production. It’s appropriate for people of all ages. However, leave the little children at home. The show runs about two and a half hours, including intermission.
For ticket information, call 330-673-8761.
David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
