Special to the Town Crier
Theater review
he theater-going public grows ever more familiar with the wonderful talent of William Shakespeare, especially after this year's Oscar triumph. The comedy "Taming of the Shrew," presented by Bus Barn Stage Company in Los Altos, has the added recognition factor of the feature film and the musical, "Kiss Me Kate."
In addition to the lovely sounds of Shakespeare's words, the play highlights sibling rivalry, the war between the sexes, the usual assortment of bumbling clowns in the lesser roles and the familiar switching of more important roles to add to the confusion. Sibling rivalry erupts due to the edict passed down by Batista (Steve Lambert), father of Katharina (Nancy Stone) and Bianca (Christy Leichty), that Kate must be married before the younger Bianca can accept any of her suitors. However, Kate's furious temper and reputation as a shrew turns away any suitor.
Shakespeare's favorite setting for his comedies seems to be Italy, and "Shrew" is no exception. I can imagine the Bard's audience roaring with laughter at the shenanigans on stage: Kate and Bianca physically acting out their frustrations with one another, manservant Tranio (Jim Johnson) struggling to change into the clothing of his master Lucentio (Ron Talbot), and the foolish-looking disguises of Hortensio (Frederik Goris) who, along with Lucentio, hopes to win Bianca's hand.
Directed by Hunt Burdick, "Shrew" is played so broadly that at times it verges on burlesque. Kate strides around and generally follows her role as a screaming shrew. Bianca, supposedly sweet and ladylike, comes across as too kittenish - and catty - for my taste.
The expected arrival by Petruchio (Noel Wood) sets off the conflict in even louder bursts of braggadocio and quarrelsome strutting around. Wood's facial expressions fit his role of the super-confident suitor determined to wed Kate, both for her father's fortune and for the challenge of taming her.
In this age of feminism, Kate's reversal of character at the end of the play makes one remember that the dramatist was male. The play's ending, when Kate surprises Petruchio with an aggressive kiss, sent me to my text, where I found no such stage direction. Could it be that feminist sensibilities of the 1990s put a different spin on Shakespeare's intent?
"Shrew" plays at the Bus Barn Theater, 97 Hillview Ave., through April 24. For more information, call 941-0551.