Reviewed by Karen Schwartzkopf
Taking a cue from VMFA’s “Hollywood Costume” exhibit, which opened this weekend, Henley Street Theater and Richmond Shakespeare’s production of The Taming of the Shrew is set in the thirties, a decade of gangsters, real and imagined drama, and the New Deal. For adults, this might mean connecting with the best of Hollywood’s screwball comedies and glamorous musicals while enjoying classic Shakespeare. For the younger set, it means a movie-making sub-plot that introduces plain-speaking actors and contemporary costumes that help make the frequently confounding Bard more palatable.
This classic comedy about men, women, power, and love is spunky and entertaining. The family matinee we saw, which is similar to the school version scheduled for three morning matinees this week at Steward School’s beautiful Lora M. Robins Theatre, was under two hours with a ten-minute intermission.
Standout performances from Matt Hackman as Petruchio and Liz Blake White as Kate kept us engrossed throughout. We also took care to read the play synopsis in the front of the program to pick up important reminders on not only the twists and turns in Shakespeare’s play, but also the mini-drama unfolding at the Hollywood studio shooting the movie.
The musical performances at scene changes were charming and delightful and included plot-relevant standards like “Stormy Weather,” Cab Calloway’s “Hi De Ho,” and about six others. On the old-fashioned microphone, Marc Persinger as Baptista shone as a soloist.
Jan Powell, artistic director of the dual company, says the effort to bring Shakespeare to families is an important one. “The way I learned to love Shakespeare was not by reading the plays, but by seeing dynamic, inventive, fun shows performed by absolutely wonderful actors,” said Powell. The director added that she wants to pass that gift on to the next generation, by providing shorter versions of the shows with full cast, costumes, and lively action. The Taming of the Shrew does just that.
Suitable for kids of all ages, we heard an 8-year-old giggling with delight throughout the show. Did she get it? Who knows – and who cares! Thanks to the original energy and pace of this production, she went the distance. My 13-year-old enjoyed the show and commented that the caliber of the acting helped tell the story – even when, and I think this happens to everyone, not just me – Shakespeare starts to sound like a foreign language.
The Taming of the Shrew from Henley Street and Richmond Shakespeare is a terrific performance that most everyone in the family should enjoy. This production is an accessible, affordable, comfortable, delightful way to introduce Shakespearean theatre to your kids.
The school version runs November 12, 14, and 15 at ten-thirty at Steward School in the West End. Tickets are $12 each. Regular performances run through November 16. Visit Henley Street Theatre for ticket information and showtimes.
