The Taming Of The Shrew
Dates of performance
12 january - 17 febuary 1996
Overview
A tale of two sisters, one the apple of her fathers eye, the elder a disconcerting shrew. In an attempt to get rid of her, the father sets to suitors of the younger daughter a near impossible task: to find the eldest a husband. A roguish individual, with his eyes on the considerable dowry offered, takes no the challenge and with effort and pain manages to change her. But for better of for worse?.
Synopsis
Shakespeare’s play was quite possibly inspired by the anonymous verse tale ‘A Shrede and Curste Wyfe’ in which a husband tames his shrewish wife by whipping her into faint and then tying her naked to a salted horse hide. The pain revives and finally tames her.Versions of the story existed all over Europe, the Americans and India. As matter of fact, 418 versions from 30 different national groups have been recorded.
The tale concerns two sisters: one the apple of her father’s eye, the elder, a disconcerting shrew. In an attempt to rid of her, the father sets the suitors of the younger daughter a near impossible task: to find the eldest a husband.
A roguish individual, with his eye on the considerable dowry offered, takes on the challenge and with effort and pain manages to change her. But for better? Or worse?
Written at the age of 25, Shakespeare wove his source material, folk-tale and ballads into rich combination with the then fashionable Italian commedia erudite. He softens the physical and sexual violence of the original to allow the more tender mysteries of love to be glimpsed through the ritual parades of aggression and courtship.
Cast List
| LUCENTIO | Son to Vincentio | ANDRE ROOTHMAN |
| DIRECTOR / TAILOR | MARK HOEBEN | |
| TRANIO | Servant to Lucentio | JOHNATHAN PIENAAR |
| BAPTISTA | Rich gentlemen of Padua | KEITH GRENVILLE |
| GREMIO | A suitor to Bianca | DAVID CRICHTON |
| KATHARINA | Elder daughter to Babtista | DOROTHY AN GOULD |
| HORTENSIO | A suitor to Bianca | JEROEN KRANENBEG |
| BIANCA | Younger sister to Babtista | AMANDA LANE |
| BIONDELLO | Servant to Lucentio | PAUL WARICK GRIFFIN |
| PETRUCHIO | A gentlemen of Verona | SEAN TAYLOR |
| GRUMIO | Servant to Petruchio | NEELS COETZEE |
| CURTIS | Servant to Petruchio | PAUL GRIFFITHS |
| TRAVELING PENDANT OF MUNTUNA | JAY HEALE | |
| HABERDASHER | MARGUERITE ALBRECHT | |
| VINCENTIO | PHILIP BOUCHER | |
| PAGE | NICHOLAS DALLAS | |
| A PEDANT | JAY HEALE | |
| A WIDOW | KARIN VAN DER LAAG | |
| PLAYERS | JANIS MERAND |
Creative List
| PRODUCTION MANAGER | PATRICK CURTIS |
| STAGE MANAGER | KIM GUNING |
| ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS | JANIS MERALD & PAUL GRIFFITHS |
| ASSISTANT STAGE TECH MANAGERS | MARK BLOOMFIELD |
| COSTUMES | JULIE ANN TINDILL |
| WIGS | SANDRA FOURIE |
| LIGHTING OPERATOR | ALCOLM HURRELL |
| SOUND OPERATOR | SEAN O'MEARA |
| F.O.H MANAGER | FRITZ FEINAUER |
| POSTER DESIGN | PLUTO PANOUSSIS |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | PAT BROMILOW DOWNING |
