2026: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

 

 

 The Taming of the Shrew adapted from William Shakespeare’s play.  Lakespeare, Canberra, February 17 to March 1, 2026. Locations: Various parks and venues across the Canberra region, including Belconnen Arts Centre, Verity Lane, Pialligo Estate, Tuggeranong Town Park, Patrick White Lawns, Glebe Park, and Haig Park.
Saturday 28 February, FREE, Haig Park
Sunday 1 March, Pialligo Estate (two shows - lunch and dinner)

Reviewed by Frank McKone
February 27 at Belconnen Arts Centre

Cast
Petruchia: Ylaria Rogers        Christopher (Kit): Michael Cooper
Lucentia: Shontae Wright    Bianco: Alastair James McKenzie
Trania: Anneka van der Velde    Grumia: Yanina Clifton
Gremia: Alice Ferguson        Baptista:Giuliana Baggoley
Biondello: Blue Hyslop        Hortensia: Claire Noack
Vincentia: Jill Young

Creatives
Director: Karen Vickery
Voice and Performance Coach: Sarah Chalmers
Costumes: Helen Wojtas        Milliner: Rachael Henson
Sound design/composer: Paris Scharkie
Jig choreography: Ylaria Rogers
Stage Manager: Disa Swifte




Lakespeare’s reinterpretation of The Taming of the Shrew turns Shakespeare on his head.  I’ve not laughed so much in many years.

I have long had doubts about The Taming of the Shrew.  In a time – in 1590 – when women were not allowed to perform in plays and women characters were played by dressed-up men, what was Will Shakespeare’s intention?  Who laughed as Petruchio starved his wife into submission?

And who got the joke as the man playing Katharina, the shrew, told women “Fie, fie! Unknit that threatening unkind brow, and dart not scornful glances from those eyes, to wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor!”

I imagine, in Shakespeare’s audience, the men laughing along with their friend acting the role, but I wonder what women – including Queen Elizabeth herself – really thought.  Could Katharina seriously be in love with Petruchio, a kind of male shrew, so they make a match?  Should I, in modern times, laugh along to the very end, or see Kate’s final speech as a serious invocation of women’s liberation – which I support? 

By turning the boys’ parts into girls – Petruchio to Petruchia – played by powerful women, and the girls’ parts into boys – Katharina (Kate) to Christopher (Kit) – played by weak men, and acting as much towards us, as in stand-up comedy, as to each other in competition for sexual prowess, the play becomes a thoroughly enjoyable laugh-out-loud highly confusing farce.

Just as it was probably meant to be in 1590, or more likely at its first recorded showing in 1594: "begininge at newing ton my Lord Admeralle men & my Lorde chamberlen men as ffolowethe [...] 11 of June 1594 Rd at the tamynge of A Shrowe."  I asked AI “What reaction did the first performance of The Taming of the Shrew in Shakespear's time have?”, and there’s plenty of history to follow up about changing approaches to this play over the centuries.  How Christopher got into the story is fascinating in itself.

In other words, when you see Lakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew you’re seeing much more than an enjoyable romp with terrific acting, physical choreography, and wonderfully detailed emotional interactions between characters, but an interpretation which places the status of women equally – or even more than equally – up against the historical status of men.

Very highly recommended.

©Frank McKone, Canberra