[NEohioPAL]BERKO REVIEW: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW/GLTF

[Roy Berko]

‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ FUNNY, BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


Great Lakes Theater Festival is in the midst of a
rebirth.  In fact, their new logo has the word
“Shakespeare” superimposed over the word “Theater.”
Historically, GLTF was GLSF.  Staging their plays at
Lakewood High School during summers, the group built a
solid reputation.  Then, there was the move to
Playhouse Square, the attempt to become a big-time
player with a Fall/Winter/Spring season.  

Now, under the innovative direction of Producing
Artistic Director Charles Fee the company will play
Summer and Fall and return to being a resident
company.  A company which, in the past, produced the
likes of Tom Hanks.  Two shows will be produced at the
same time, alternating nights for a six-week run.  The
first set of offerings are ‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’
and ‘THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
(ABRIDGED).’’

Another new feature of the Festival’s season is a
free, nightly, outdoor event on Euclid Avenue, just
outside the Ohio theatre, called “The Queen’s Arrival”
that will commence a half-hour before each GLTF
performance.  It parallels the “Green Show” tradition
that has long been a popular part of summer
Shakespeare Festivals across the country.  It will
feature the arrival of a very special guest in a
horse-drawn carriage.  

When a director decides on his or her philosophy for
staging a play, the person’s background comes into
play.  From watching Great Lakes Theater Festival’s
production of ‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ it can be
concluded that director Drew Barr has watched a heavy
dose of Saturday morning cartoons and is a lover of
The Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers and slap-stick
humor.  His staging leaves no prat-fall, no
double-take, no pie-in-the-face opportunity unused. 
There is enough faux  hitting, tripping, and mugging
to make any 6-year old roll on the floor in hysterical
pleasure.

The result of Barr’s take on the Bard?  Judging by the
opening night audience, you’ll either love it or hate
it.  In the former group will be those who love to
laugh, no matter whether that laughter comes at the
expense of the script.  In the latter group, will be
the  “Humph, that’s not the way Shakespeare should be
done” crowd.

‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ is one of Shakespeare’s most
popular works.  Probably the most compelling reason
for the audience’s love of the script is that instead
of the Bard’s usual lyrical poetry and delicate humor,
‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ is filled with coarse vivid
puns. Interestingly, because of the language there are
experts who strongly believe that Shakespeare was not
the play's sole author, or not the author at all. 

Another interesting factor about the play is its
almost universal dislike by women activists.  Though
on one level Kate, the lusty main character, has
become a model for the strong-willed woman, the fact
that she seemingly becomes a coy, subservient woman
controlled by her husband, bodes poorly for women as
independent beings.

So, what’s the play all about?  In Padua, an old
Italian town, lives rich Baptista and his two
daughters. The younger, Bianca, is an angel.  The
elder, Katherine, a scourge with a hot temper and a
sizzling tongue.  Katherine has no suitors, while
Bianca has at least two, which poses a problem for
their father since he will not allow Bianca to marry
unless someone takes Katherine off his hands first.  
That conundrum becomes the center of the play...who
will tame the shrew and finally agree to kiss Kate? 
Does that phrase sound familiar?  Of course.  The play
was rewritten into the well-know musical comedy “KISS
ME KATE.”

GLTF’s cast is excellent.  Andrew May, as Kate’s
suitor Petruchio, does what May does best...grimace,
mumble, futz, strut, over-act...all to the very best
effect.  Barr’s directing and May’s talents are a
match made in heaven.  Laura Perrotta’s Katherina is a
fine hellion, but fades too quickly into the “nice”
Kate.  For some strange reason Barr has Scott Plate
play the role of Lucentio, who is in love with Bianca,
as a twit.  He prances, flails, feigns fay.  He does
it well, but why?  How M. A. Taylor gets through the
evening without broken bones is a wonder.  He is used
by everyone as their punching bag.  Maybe he is saved
by his flack jacket which protects him from the
mayhem.   Wayne Turney is wonderful as Bianca’s older
suitor.  Derdriu Ring is fine, but has little chance
to shine in the role of Bianca.

Narelle Sisson’s set design is a disaster.  The
multi-leveled set, featuring a slanted center platform
which resembles a railroad car divided into a series
of small rooms, and ladders and a platform high above
the audience’s heads, is extremely distracting.  The
actors are constantly climbing ladders and ducking
behind surfaces and being hidden from the sight of the
audience.  But, considering that the director has
actors continually slamming doors and falling up and
down stairs and tripping on platforms, the design may
have been his idea.  

Kimn Krumm Sorenson’s costumes add nothing to the
production.  In fact, in most scenes it looks like the
actors were let loose in the company’s costume storage
area and told to put on anything they wanted.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  If you like farce, if you like
slap-stick you’ll love GLTF’s ‘THE TAMING OF THE
SHREW.’   If not, either hope ‘THE COMPLETE WORKS OF
SHAKESPEARE (Abridged)’ is more to your liking or wait
until the fall rotating repertory which features Oscar
Wilde’s ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’ and ‘JULIUS
CAESAR’ to attend one of the theatre’s offerings.

For tickets to any GLTF production call 216-241-6000
or 800-766-6048.


=====
Roy Berko's web page can be found at royberko.info and many of his theatre and dance reviews appear on artscleveland.net.


		
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