Taming of the Shrew - Royal Shakespeare Co. - Nebula Micro Theatre, Benoni
Fri Jul 5, 18:30 - Fri Jul 5, 21:42
Nebula Micro Theatre
ABOUT
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
IN A REIMAGINED 1590, WOMEN ARE IN CHARGE.
Women hold the power, control the state and own the property. In a society where men have no authority, Lady Baptista is selling off her two sons to the highest bidders. Cue an explosive battle of the sexes in this electrically charged love story.
Director Justin Audibert (who previously directed Snow in Midsummer and The Jew of Malta for the RSC) turns Shakespeare's fierce comedy of gender politics on its head in this ‘landmark production’ (Evening Standard) that offers a fresh perspective on its portrayal of power.
Complete with a luxurious panelled Elizabethan set, exquisite traditional costumes, and a contemporary-meets-renaissance musical score, this is a joyous and entertaining production of Shakespeare’s fierce comedy of the sexes.
THE PLOT
THE CHALLENGE Fortune-hunting Hortensia, rich old Gremia and newly-arrived-in-town Lucentia all wish to court the handsome Bianco, but his mother Baptista decrees he cannot marry before his older brother, the sharp-tongued and quick-tempered Katherine.
The bachelorette Petruchia steps up to the challenge and vows to woo Katherine, both for Katherine's dowry and for the challenge of overcoming his fearsome reputation.
Hortensia and Lucentia gain access to Bianco by disguising themselves as his tutors, while Lucentia's servant Trania pretends to be Lucienta. Bianco favours the young Lucentia as his suitor.
TAMING A SHREW Petruchia succeeds in wooing Katherine – but shocks everyone by turning up late to the wedding wearing unsuitable clothes. She then takes him off to her country house, where she 'tames' him through various forms of deprivation.
Trania persuades a travelling schoolteacher to pretend to be Lucentia's mother Vincentia in order to give assurance of Lucentia's financial means to Baptista. There is confusion when the real Vincentia turns up. She eventually approves of the marriage of Lucentia and Bianco.
Hortensia accepts defeat and marries a wealthy widower, while Petruchia and Katherine return to reveal that Katherine is now a changed man.
2 Acts
One interval
Running time 3h12m