For many college students, their first exposure to William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" comes from its modern adaptation, the movie "10 Things I Hate About You." In the film, Heath Ledger plays Patrick Verona, a brooding teenaged version of Petruchio - an arrogant man paid to woo the unbearable Katharina, the shrew to which the title refers.
Over the weekend, Shakespeare on the Green's performance of Taming of the Shrew tackled another unusual portrayal of Petruchio. The part was played by a woman, Kirsten Ward '12. In fact, all 11 roles were played by women, and the entire crew was female as well.
The play revolves around the marital quests of the two Baptista sisters - the incorrigible Katharina (Herald Contributing Writer Tasnuva Islam '11) and the docile Bianca (Jennifer Harlan '12), who is fervently courted by several suitors. The plot develops misogynistic overtones in part through Petruchio, who marries Katharina and succeeds in subduing her until she is a wholly acquiescent wife.
This production was an admirable feat for a play that has only two female characters and is often considered controversial for its sexism.
Director Sara Molinaro '09 said she chose to use an all-female cast to counteract those notions of sexism and portray the play as more of a love story. Molinaro, also a former Herald Metro editor, said she found it to be more of an advantage than a challenge. "At the risk of sounding sexist, I found that women operate more on a consensus."
Molinaro stayed faithful to all aspects of the plot, including scenes that involved romantic interaction between characters. Shana Tinkle '11, who played Grumio, said that the cast made a point of getting comfortable with one another throughout the rehearsal process.
To add to the challenge of portraying intimacy with only female actors, the play was performed outside in the cozy setting of the garden behind 135 Thayer St. Despite the distinct chill in the fall air, a small but enthusiastic audience showed up dressed to withstand the elements.
Though the stage was small, the costumes simple - most of the actresses sported Converse shoes - and the set unassuming, the cast brought plenty of energy to the performance and the characters were engaging enough to overshadow the modesty of the production.
From the very first scene, Tranio, played by Sofia Ortiz '11, brought elements of cleverness and wit to the dialogue, while Lilia Royanova '11 as Hortensio had no trouble conveying the bawdiness of certain Shakespearean lines. Katharina and Petruchio made a great pair, evenly matched in stubbornness and audacity - until, of course, the shrewish Katharina is tamed. In terms of acting, however, Ward was more powerful in her portrayal of Petruchio's bold nature than Islam of Katharina, an appropriate asymmetry of strength, perhaps, considering Katharina's ultimate submission and loss of power.
The audience favorite, however, was surely Tinkle as Grumio, the token jester-like character that is Petruchio's valet, and as the merchant who becomes complicit in the various deceptions going on in the Baptista household.
Tinkle made the audience members laugh with the exaggerated and mischievous delivery of her lines, and kept them chuckling as she climbed trees and engaged in other capers in the background.
On the whole, Molinaro, assisted by Karin Freed '09, pulled off a production that stayed true to Shakespeare's plot, yet turned his original gender dynamic on its head with its unconventional casting, making for an enjoyable and unique performance.
