Use the noun shrew — at your own risk — to refer to a woman who is argumentative, nagging, and ill tempered.
Vocabulary.com
Now then, eh? Shakespeare you scallywag with your seemingly misogynistic titles for your plays, you.
And your themes of gender hierarchy and ideas that the woman should always be submissive to the man.
Who better to take on this classic text than three female/non-binary production companies and outfits ; HER productions, Unseemly Women and Girl Gang Mcr, under the directorship of the brilliant Hannah Ellis Ryan and Amy Gavin.
And my did this production grab its source by the throat and give it a good shake (no classic texts were actually harmed in the making of this show. If anything, improved…).
Sat in the bar of the brilliant Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, taking in a pre-show tipple, we were given a clue as to how this one was going to go.
We suddenly weren’t in Pollard Street anymore, as in strode some of the cast, sitting themselves down next to us poor, unassuming theatre-goers. I mean, at this point in proceedings we were still more bar patrons ahead of 7.30pm kick-off.
The immersive fun wasn’t over. Try getting through the door into the theatre space, without one cast member flirting suggestively with you (much to my epic amusement, my husband was paraded upto the gathered group of all-female cast as a ‘find’, before he was allowed to take his seat).
Oh and did I mention there was a stripper pole set up? No? There was a stripper pole set up as we were immersed into the cabaret club and world run by ‘the Bellas’.
The plot focuses on a drunken patron (Sly) who falls victim to the gang of ‘Bella’s’, who run and operate a cabaret club. As Sly wakes from his wild night, he is told a story, supporting a wider prank that Sly is not a drunken patron, but a Lord of great status and wealth.
Our Bellas spin him a tale about a wealthy merchant of Padua, and two daughters: Katherina and Bianca. Because of Katherina’s “shrewish” disposition, her father has declared that no one shall wed Bianca until such a time as Katherina has been married.
But why are they telling him this story? And what is Sly’s connection to the women?
And so we have our set up and the Bellas perform their very own ‘Taming of the Shrew’.
And as intended, it was riotously funny, as our cast with their loud and daring burlesque meets the Bard costuming, and even louder depictions of all concerned, took command of every inch of the creative space.
Teasingly breaking the 4th wall at times (‘Sly’ – Ciara Tansy – remarking to the audience during the interval how long the first half had been…) the show sped along at lightening speed, not because of issues with pace but because of its energy and command of our intention.
The brief musical intermissions punctuated proceedings, and an impressive soundtrack took us on a journey that included Air’s Sexy Boy and notably the infamous Can’t Take My Eyes of You.
Research tells me (yes I do that) that the 1999 film Ten Things I Hate About You which I’ve never seen (because, the title) is actually based on ‘Shrew (we’re doing that now) and so the soundtrack nods to that – love a detail.
Speaking of, let’s talk about crochet beards. Our male characters in an all female/non-binary cast, were visually signposted to with the aid of some rather fine and fun crochet beards. Now this is big business, according to Google search, and I feel there might be more layers to this. But from my potentially, surface-level reaction is, fun-times whilst being helpful.
Whilst I’m reluctant to reference individuals too much (this was a strong ensemble piece), I’ll speak of Katherina (Shady Murphy) and Petruchio (Emily Spowage), whose depictions of the two of the main roles were vital and consequently successful in delivering some powerful themes and depictions of how to drive a woman into submission,
The seemingly jovial and eccentric Petruchio’s almost seductive command of Katherina and her hand in marriage initially gave rise to a level playing field, with toing and froing aplenty between the fiery pair.
Until it wasn’t. And suddenly the power shift changed and our supposed ‘shrew’ no longer believed in herself or her rights and was duly ‘tamed’.
It was frightening and unnerving to see the change in respective personalities play out. Our Nancy had been overpowered by her Bill Sykes and her blind acceptance was desperate to bear witness to.
But the company definitely took hold of the tale and in putting their own respectful spin on the production, reminded us that whilst some notions may belong in the past, to shut them away would be a missed opportunity to demonstrate how far the world as come, and to educate those who still live in Shakespearean times.
For further details and tickets, head to https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/the-taming-of-the-shrew/
Running at Hope Mill Theatre on June 30, the production will then move to Shakespeare North Playhouse and conclude its run with two nights at Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield on 17 and 19 July.
Cast and Creatives:
MARY (The Madam) / WIDOW
MEGAN HOLLAND
PAGE (The Fixer) / KATHERINA
SHADY MURPHY
SAM (The Entertainment) PETRUCHIO
EMILY SPOWAGE
CERI (The Philosopher) / BAPTISTA
JAKKI MOORE
GEORGIA (The Mastermind) / TRANIO
LEAH EDDLESTON
LUNA (The Feeder) / GREMIO
SARAH LEGG
SALLY (The Mover) / LUCENTIO
MIA GIBSON
MOLLIE (The Mender / Seamstress)
BIANCA HOPE YOLANDA
BEC (The Cleaner / Cleanfreak) / HORTENSIO
NICOLE KERI
BEAN (The Brains) / GRUMIO
NAOMI ALBANS
CRYSTAL (The Seer) / VINCENTIO / THE TAILOR
OCEANA CAGE
ChristopherSLY CIARA TANSY
Directors: Amy Gavin & Hannah Ellis Ryan
Producers: HER Productions, Unseemly Women & Girl Gang Manchester
Lighting Designer: Tom Sutcliffe
Sound Designer: Hannah Bracegirdle
Musical Director: Eliza Waters
Costume Design: Zoey Barnes
Choreographer: Yandass Ndlovu
Stage Manager: Sabine Sulmeistere
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