Oliver Thornton as Bianca and Maulik Pancholy as Katherina. Photo: Scott Suchman.
By mere description, Shakespeare Theatre Company’s version of The Taming of the Shrew may sound like it is treading familiar territory. It’s an all-male production (hardly a rarity—and the norm in Elizabethan times). It’s a musical (not exactly news to fans of “Kiss Me Kate”). And yet, director Ed Sylvanus Iskandar has brought forth something wholly original, a Shrew that wears its emotions on the surface and pulls its audience directly into the action.
The show also manages to feel original in its score, despite the fact that these are in fact borrowed, rather than written specifically for the production. Ishandar leans on the songbook of Duncan Sheik, a songwriter probably best familiar to the general populace for his hit “Barely Breathing,” but whose contributions to the musical theater world continue to grow with such productions as “Spring Awakening” and “American Psycho”. Here, Sheik’s broody, confessional rock songs, from the plaintive “Shine Inside,” to the defeated “Bite Your Tongue,” help create a more vivid internal world for several of Shakespeare’s now-iconic characters. Some of the contemporary lyrics can occasionally chafe (an allusion to the burning of self-help books falls awkwardly). But they also add additional text and subtext, whether it be a blatant nod to a homosexual romance between two scheming men, or by hinting at a far more romantically-conflicted Bianca (Oliver Thornton) than the Bard ever presented.
The story of “Taming of the Shrew” is pretty well-worn territory, but a brief refresher: Baptista (Bernard White) has decreed that his popular and vivacious daughter Bianca cannot marry until a suitable husband is found for the short-tempered Kate (Maulik Pancholy). Suitor Petruchio (Peter Gadiot) is game to wed Kate (largely on account of her massive fortune), but is only interested in an obedient wife whom he can ultimately “break” (for her own good, of course). In the meantime, there is additional intrigue surrounding the courtship of Bianca, with typical Shakespearean touches of swapped identities and other hijinks.
Shrew’s unabashedly mysoginistic storyline has been problematic for directors for decades, and Kate’s odious final speech of submission is usually winked at or downplayed in some way in most modern productions. Interestingly, Iskandar instead decides to lean in. Though a phoenix-like costume change during the scene hints at a different sort of transition for the supplicating Kate, hearing the monologue untainted by irony does lend a certain (admittedly uncomfortable) beauty to the language and the character’s transformation.
Pancholy’s take on Kate is stunning and immersive. It’s easy to forget the actor, unrecognizable here from his previous roles (which include the eager assistant Jonathan on “30 Rock”), isn’t a woman, and he emphasizes Kate’s power, self-possession and vulnerability in equal measures. Thornton’s Bianca is more stylized—tall and blonde, distant and unknowable. They’re surrounded by performers like Telly Leung (the show’s vocal powerhouse), who’s most at home emoting through song as Lucentio; as well as Tom Story, sputtering his way through his scenes as the indignant Hortensio, a rival to Luncentio. Though sincerity is a hallmark of this Shrew, it still has its share of comedic moments, whether it be Hortensio’s puttering, one seriously overwrought death scene, or another character’s inexplicable tic.
All of this takes place on a gorgeous, two-tiered wooden set, which continues to stun throughout the production as it undergoes subtle changes (a moment where the stage is completely awash in gold, from lighting to costumes, is almost gasp-worthy). But the scaffolded set also helps form a more intimate bond with the audience, who are welcomed onstage for musical interludes during the 30-minute intermission (this production is definitely a time investment), and often nodded to or winked at in some way or another throughout the proceedings. Iskandar’s Shrew may be earnest and ambitious, but it’s also inclusive, frothy, and quite the party.
The Taming of the Shrew runs through June 26 at Sidney Harman Hall. Tickets ($44-$118) are available online.
