courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Theatre
Take a hefty shot of the Jeff Bridges film Crazy Heart, a smidge of Naoimi Wolf, and the Folger Shakespeare Theatre’s charming habit of showing something new in the Bard’s best known plays, and you’ll have the current production of The Taming of the Shrew, running through June 10th. The 10th is coming up soon, so get your ticket now. Trust me when I tell you it will be like hitting a folky concert in an intimate venue and a smart feast for the mind.
I’ve seen this play at least four times over the last 20 years, and this one will stick in my memory. Singer-songwriter Cliff Eberhardt sets the tone appropriate to the setting, the late 1800’s American Frontier. By design, there is much homage to HBO’s series Deadwood. Dialogue from Deadwood, as profane as it is, always struck me as Shakespearean. Shrew director Aaron Posner, Helen Hayes Award-winner, found both dramas swirled around issues of gender and identity as well as money and power. The cast, with their chaps, cowboy hats, cigars and plaid suits capture the “rough-and-tumble” spirit of both the tv show and the play.
Kate, as played by Kate Eastwood Norris, is as a sharp-tongued Kate as I’ve encountered. She shows Kate’s vulnerability and sadness, as well as her strength and cunning. Cody Nickell, the actress’es husband, plays Petrucio. As Kate’s suitor and husband, his rough, macho frontiersman persona is a force, softened by jokes and great physical dynamism. Sarah Marshall, as Kate’s mother Baptista, plays the role with great comic timing, and as the recipient of 17 Helen Hays award nomination, that’s no surprise.
There’s a lot of humor in this play that often presents itself as somewhat of a downer, and it’s a good thing to keep the tone light while delving into the painful realities of womanhood and limited feminine power in Shakespeare’s time. Danny Scheie, as the loyal and comical servant Grumio, does this especially well with his nasal voice, choice words, dapper look and leprechaun look.
A CD of Cliff Eberhardt’s songs featured in the performance can be purchased in the Folger Shop (a great spot for gifts) or online. If his week’s Queen’s Jubilee is more to your tastes, the current exhibit, Open City: London 1500-1700 is beckons.