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The Taming of the Shrew ~ Shakespeare Theatre Company

Jordan Wright
May 25, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
 

Maulik Pancholy as Katherina and Peter Gadiot as Petruchio in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Maulik Pancholy as Katherina and Peter Gadiot as Petruchio. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A curious production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is currently showing at Sidney Harman Hall.  I say curious, because it doesn’t have a real identity – unless you want to call this classic play a gender-bending musical with anti-feminist leanings.  In another words, it’s all over the place in terms of direction and cast.

Oliver Thornton as Bianca and Maulik Pancholy as Katherina in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Oliver Thornton as Bianca and Maulik Pancholy as Katherina.  Photo by Scott Suchman.

Tapping into Shakespeare’s use of an all-male cast, Director Ed Sylvanus Iskander has instead given us an ersatz drag show (I’ve seen far better) performed by an oddly uneven cast.  The only thing worth holding your breath for is Tony Award-winning Jason Sherwood’s heart-stopping, gold gilded, rotating set, Seth Reiser’s intricate lighting design and Duncan Sheik’s rock music with a catchy backbeat.  But, trust me, you will never hear a cast recording of Sheik’s terrific music, since the all-male voices were either gravelly or garbled and, far too often, off-key.

Matthew Russell as Tranio and Telly Leung as Lucentio in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Matthew Russell as Tranio and Telly Leung as Lucentio. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Before I enumerate the plethora of disasters this dismal interpretation holds in store for lovers of the Bard of Avon, I must give credit to the two performers who, despite all discombobulations, kept this three-hour snoozefest from becoming even more intolerable.  Peter Gadiot as Petruchio is a marvel of timing, delivery and believability.  Blessedly he became the glue that held the plot, as it were, together.  And the hilarious stage antics of André De Shields who exudes the classical training and timing of a true actor’s actor, most especially in a hilarious death scene.

Modern day renditions of this comedy are more likely to have the tongue firmly planted in the cheek when it comes to interpreting Petruchio’s male dominance and Kate’s subservience.  Nowadays the misogynistic elements are firmly tamped down and contemporary stagings present it as a light-hearted romp with Kate’s willfulness interpreted as her independent feminist spirit.  But here Iskander offers up Kate as a victim of the Stockholm Syndrome, subjugating herself and willing the other “ladies” of her acquaintance to follow her lead, which results in them genuflecting side by side in the finale with palms upraised to God, giving themselves over to the demands of the men to be good, obedient wives.  I felt as though I’d been hurtled backwards into a time warp before women had the vote.

Under Eskander’s direction Loren Shaw’s costumes veer wildly from classical robes to modern street wear – dressing Bianca in a pink 50’s chiffon frock, the “obvious” males in exaggerated codpieces and Hortensio sporting silver sequined high heels after a make out session with one of the women’s suitors.  What’s the point?  Ask the paparazzi that appear on stage to snap photos of Bianca acting like Madonna.  Maybe they can explain.  And I won’t dignify the bondage scene either.  So let’s just move on, shall we?  Unless you need an explanation for Lucentio in 1970’s pimp’s fur coat and fedora, or a reason for Petruchio’s antlers.  Hardly worth the ink.

The cast of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman.

The cast of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman.

At the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall through June 26th 2016 at 610 F St., NW Washington, DC 20004.  For tickets and information call 202 547-1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org.

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