Sexy shrew goes under the covers
David Caves and Lisa Dillon in Taming of The Shrew
TAMING of the Shrew at its bawdiest comes to Milton Keynes Theatre on March 6. The RSC has taken Shakespeare’s battle of the sexes and come up with a high-octane romp that is sassy, sexy and surprisingly inventive.
Director Lucy Bailey turns the stage into a vast bed working with the idea that we humans spend most of our lives either resting, warring, plotting or making love under its covers.
It’s billed as a comedy but there’s a black streak running through its story of how a feisty and fiercely independent woman finds love.
Bailey gets around the misogyny by playing to the story’s other strengths – this is a hormone-fuelled love story between two powerful, if slightly deranged personalities, played out in 1950s Italy. There’s a lot of sexual tension and outright aggression as the two combatants, the fiery Katherina and her determined beau, Petruchio, do battle.
And while their intensely physical foreplay makes up the bulk of the tale there’s also supporting stories of seduction and ribald comedy. Be ready to look away if you’re easily offended by the sight of a dirty and hugely overweight drunk in the altogether.
The production oozes sex appeal from the casting of Lisa Dillon (Cranford’s Mary Smith) as the chain-smoking, drink-fuelled Kate and the seriously hunky David Caves (last seen in our area in the comedy Stones in his Pockets) as a roguish suitor complete with strong Northern Irish accent.
They both give tremendous performances backed by a talented supporting cast that includes Adrian Lukis and John Marquez.
Taming of The Shrew runs from Tuesday, March 6 until March 10. For tickets call the box office 0844 871 7652 or go online www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
Read a fuller feature, including an interview with the leads, in Tuesday’s LBO.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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