Discover what critics have had to say about Jude Christian’s production, playing at the theatre until the 26th October.
Broadway World: *** “Bucketloads of genuine charm strings it together. Tyreke Leslie owns Tranio with buzzy bona fide glee. The live band conjure electricity to charge the production with sitcom wackiness. The Taming of the Shrew is not easily translated for the Modern Stage. But there’s plenty to admire here despite its flaws.”
Evening Standard: ** “I think Christian aims to jolt us out of preconceptions that the play can’t be funny as well as horrible and isn’t relevant to today. But I sympathized most with Teixeira’s line when she steps out of Katherina’s character and back into the persona of an audience member caught up in a nightmare: “Can we stop!””
Everything Theatre: ** “This production, under the direction of Jude Christian, has the potential to highlight the absurdity of this tale and the attitudes it satirises, but it loses its way. The costumes, puppetry, music, and dance all have a lot to say, but sadly they drown out any message it’s trying to convey. On occasion this is literally true, when the live music composed by Corin Buckeridge, makes the clarity of lyrics and text difficult to decipher. The cast as a whole are superb, delivering interesting and engaging characters, offering many moments of delight and genuine playfulness, but I come away perplexed and disappointed.”
The Guardian: ** “Bold, absurdist ideas jostle for attention in this bemusing new production of Shakespeare’s tricky tale, but they’re rarely portrayed clearly enough to make us care about the characters beneath the chaos.”
London Unattached: “For an evening of slapstick humour and fast-paced entertainment, this Taming of the Shrew hits the mark. But, if you’d hoped for a better insight into Shakespeare’s original work, you might be disappointed.”
WhatsOnStage: *** “It’s hard to express how much Christian has chucked at the wall here – metatheatrical moments see a cast member scrambling to escape the story, while another is unexpectedly murdered. A third, sat on stage, keeps telling the rest of the troupe to stop wasting time and crack on. There’s excellent and subtle work from Eloise Secker as Petruchio’s servant Grumio, while Ian Charleson Award nominee Tyreke Leslie brings out the laughs as Tranio.”
Time Out: “So yes, it looks suitably bonkers. If the hope is to show a woman broken and ripped apart by the hands of male abuse, then Christian has succeeded – Katharina ends as a shell of the person she once was. But, what is the point of it all if the ending remains unchanged and unchallenged? It is a putrid take.”
The Arts Desk: ** “This ‘Shrew’ has many fine elements but ultimately they don’t coalesce.”
London Theatre 1: *** “Some members of the audience left the theatre declaring the production fun, while others were unhappy about the lack of emphasis on Shakespeare’s language and complexities. Many will however speculate afterwards about Shakespeare’s true feelings on the theme he was presenting in apparent approval, taking into account all we know of him, his era and his work.”
The Upcoming: *** “This adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew is a two-hour boldly reimagined take on the Bard, complete with out-of-place props, bright red makeup and hilarity. If you want to see a completely revised version of a Shakespearean classic that blurs the lines between the play’s source material and hyperbole, then Christian’s interpretation may be perfect for those insane enough to love it.”
West End Best Friend: **** “This is not a production for the purist and it is very possible you will love it or hate it, but it will get a reaction out of you either way, which makes it a valuable pice of theatre. This is one of the more provocative adaptations of The Taming of The Shrew that you are likely to see. On leaving the theatre, a moment of reflection on what was just witnessed might be needed for more than one reason.”
London Theatre.co.uk: *** “Christian’s bold direction shines in the pastiche but falters when broaching the topic of the ‘Shrew’. The intricate yet disjointed web of characters are either silent or complicit in getting the ‘cursed’ Katharina (Thalissa Teixeira) wed and out of the way in order to court her younger sister, Bianca (Sophie Mercell). Mercell is captivating as the doe-eyed maiden, speaking via a puppet version of herself throughout.”
London Theatre Reviews: *** “As is often the case when performing Shakespeare, the cast show a range of talent and comfort with the Bard’s text, but overall are generally very good. They all engage with the audience well, making us feel in on their jokes. Some particular highlights include Sophie Mercell’s knowing and sassy Bianca, Eloise Secker’s beautifully tragic Grumio, trapped in her own abusive power dynamic with Petruchio, and Nigel Barrett bringing hilariously vibrant chaos as well as nuance to Christopher Sly/Gremio. Andrew Leung relishes the more sinister moments of Petruchio’s arc, and we only wish we could see more of this true villainy. However, the star of this show is without doubt Lizzie Hopley as Hortensio; Lizzie performs as though she is a puppet master, completely understanding the needs of the space for exaggerated performance without ever crossing into “too much” territory.”
The Telegraph: ** “The Globe’s over-conceptualised fun-house take on Shakespeare’s comedy obscures rather than underscores the play’s difficulty.”
The Reviews Hub: ** 1/2 “The production is full of broad comedic turns to create that raucous Globe atmosphere, as well as playful costumes and set design that place the play in an uncanny, timeless limbo – the set is mostly taken up by a huge marshmallowy teddy bear with a door ripped up through its stomach. However, it will disappoint anyone here for true chemistry and meaning.”
The Stage: *** “Bizarre, absurdist reframing of Shakespeare’s most problematic comedy.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-taming-of-the-shrew/