Play’s the Thing at Renaissance Now’s Taming of the Shrew in Provo

By Susannah Whitman

Renaissance Now brings us William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew at the Castle Amphitheater in Provo. Shrew is one of those plays that’s got a handful of challenges. Here’s a plot summary: Every man in Padua (and several outside of Padua) has a thing for Bianca (Sariah Hopkin), the beautiful daughter of Baptista (Ben Hyde.) The problem? Baptista won’t let anyone marry her until his oldest daughter Katerina (Rosie Ward) is married off first. And finding a suitor for the “shrewish” Katerina is a tough job. Until Petruchio (David Liddell Thorpe) shows up and “tames” her. Her shift in personality is finally proven in a final speech she gives to the other women, chiding them for being disobedient wives.

In 2017, the idea of “taming” a woman so that she’s obedient is likely to elicit a few raised eyebrows, if not outright cringing.

 

 

 

 

 

But Archelaus B Crisanto’s production at Reniassance Now manages to find humor and heart in a story that, on paper, seems like it wouldn’t be relevant for modern audiences. The cast and crew embraced the sense of fun that Shakespeare must have intended—breaking the fourth wall, adlibbing with modern phrases, and finding wonderful “bits” to make the whole script accessible to a 2017 audience. Shakespeare is truly funny, and the battle of wits extends beyond the sexes.

Crisanto has set Taming of the Shrew in the 1960s, in a nightclub called Baptista’s. The Castle Amphitheatre in Provo is the perfect venue. Built in 1934, the outdoor space doesn’t need much dressing up—string lights, tables and chairs, a bar. A live band plays jazz and rock tunes from a platform stage left, and a bartender cleans glasses onstage as you enter. Actors—in character—introduce themselves and tell you to enjoy your night at Baptista’s. The sun slowly sets behind the actors as the play progresses. It’s a view that can’t be beat.

 

 

 

 

 

Because it’s an outdoor venue, I would recommend bringing bug spray, and either a lawn chair or a cushion. You can simply sit on the steep steps of the Castle Amphitheatre, but you may be more comfortable in a chair. Here’s the other thing I’d recommend—get there early to participate in the lecture/discussion before the show. Saturday night, local professor/director/actor Ben Hopkin led a discussion on gender roles in Shakespeare’s day vs. today. It was insightful and engaging, and the perfect preparation for the show. (A schedule of additional guest lecturers can be found on the Facebook Event page.)

But the stunning sunset isn’t the only great thing going on at this venue—the work onstage shines just as brightly. Every cast member brought life and humor to their characters, and there was not a weak link among them. Notably, Janiel Miller was hilarious as the Widow/Penny, and also wowed the audience with her musical numbers as the live band’s singer.

 

 

 

 

 

As Bianca, Sariah Hopkin brings humor and depth to a role that might be boring in the hands of a less capable actress. She’s funny and 3-dimensional, and I love me a 3-dimensional ingénue. Noah Kershisnik has the perfect “leading man” look for the amorous Lucentio. But Kershisnik is not just handsome, he’s extremely talented. He brings an honesty and a naturalism to his work that is truly wonderful to watch. You can tell that he’s listening and fully present in every moment. (I also commend Hopkin and Kershisnik’s positively Olympic stage kissing as Bianca and Lucentio.)

Ward plays a wonderful Kate. In this challenging role, Ward balances her razor sharp wit with a moving vulnerability. There are lovely moments when her fierceness melts away to reveal a woman who feels what we all feel—longing, fear, sorrow. We watch as her tough exterior slowly shifts and settles into a woman who can hold her own, but no longer needs the vicious words she used to be known for. Thorpe positively shines as Petruchio. Petruchio is a complex character—his behavior in the show is at times ridiculous, and at times cruel. But Thorpe is so undeniably likable as Petruchio that even when he’s being cruel, we trust that his intentions are good. The famous scene when Petruchio and Kate first meet absolutely sizzled. Between the scene’s phenomenal “choreography” and the Bard’s witty dialogue, Ward and Thorpe’s battle of wits was filled with the delicious sort of intellectual, romantic, and sexual tension you want from your romantic leads.

 

 
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Some of the scene changes during the show were a little clunky (they were a little long, and a little awkward without underscoring.) But all other elements of the production—costumes, props, set design, etc.—were spot on.

There are three questions I always have when going into a production of Taming of the Shrew:

1. How will they interpret Petruchio’s outrageous wedding outfit? (Answer: BRILLIANTLY. And Petruchio’s entrance in his outrageous wedding outfit is one of the best entrances I’ve ever seen in all of theatre. That reveals was one of my favorite moments of the show.)

2. Will Petruchio and Kate have both the romantic/sexual tension and the intellectual tension that I want them to? (Answer: DEFINITELY.)

3. How will they handle that cringe-y speech of Kate’s at the end of the show? (Answer: See notes below.)

There is simply no way around the problematic nature of some of Kate’s lines in this final speech. She tells the women in the room that they owe their husbands obedience. She calls women weak, and says that she is ashamed that they “are so simple.” She says that wives ought to place their hands beneath their husbands’ feet.

 

 

 

 

 

And in 2017, this advice really doesn’t sit very comfortably. I have no “solution” for how this speech should be handled in modern productions, nor do I have deep insight into what it meant in Shakespeare’s day. But here’s what I realized. Maybe we need this show to remind us to keep thinking about these things. To keep talking about them. Have we come as far as we think we have? Do we, as a society, truly recognize the strength of women? Or do we dismiss them as weak, or subtly imply that they should obey their husbands? If Kate’s final speech makes us cringe, that’s probably a good thing. Maybe we can take the reaction we have to her words and apply it to the real world. Amongst all the laughter in Taming of the Shrew, there’s plenty of food for thought as well.

Finally, I have a request. I would like the entire cast of Renaissance Now’s Taming of the Shrew to form an improv team and do shows together. Because I want to watch them play long after this show closes.

 

 

 

 

 

Renaissance Now presents Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Castle Amphitheatre, 1300 E Center Street, Provo, UT
July 24, July 27-29, 31, August 3-5
Pre-show lecture 7:15 PM, Performance 8:00 PM
$10 general admission, $25 family, $20 for a group of 4, 2 for 1 nights available for Monday and Thursday performances
Tickets available online or at the door.
Facebook Event