Fifty Shades of Shrew

The cast is great, first and foremost. Each lady sparkles in her role (or roles). And the show was cut well (not something that can be said about every Shakespeare production in Los Angeles). I'm also glad that no gender pronouns were changed, despite the all female cast, keeping the male terms added an interesting layer to what was being done. And the opening monologue of information, delivered by the luscious Mistress Kara and explaining the basics of BDSM, was fascinating. That being said, I do wish the BDSM in the show was a bit more risque, and done with a bit more seriousness. I wanted to be pushed to the edge of my comfort level, and I didn't quite get there. Still, the show is fun, very well directed, and a darn good time!... full review

So fun to see this classic favorite revamped with an ALL Female Cast AND such an ingenious twist on the Bard. Strong performances by the whole cast & a GREAT night out indeed!... full review

50 Shades of Shrew is a great twist on the Shakespeare Classic. The set-up monologue as told to us by a BDSM mistress adds to the language of the play. The gender power stuggle is heightened with the cast of all female players - I especially enjoyed Dawn Alden and Jennifer Albert's (Petruchio & Kate's) exchanges. And such a fun way to see "Taming of the Shrew."... full review

With Danielle Ozymandias's gifted direction and adaptation, one of Shakespeare's most familiar plays gets a brand-spanking (sorry, couldn't resist) new life with FIFTY SHADES OF SHREW. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW always makes me squirm a bit as one of the bard's best female characters seems to lose everything that makes her interesting. But in the context of BDSM, it now actually all makes sense. And I'll never see the original the same way again. It's a very strong all-female ensemble, but stand-outs include Dawn Alden's Petruchio, Jen Albert's Katharina, Tara Donovan's Bianca and Shana Gregory Williams's Tranio. I could list everyone in the cast -- they're that good. Special mention needs to go to Linda Muggeridge's costumes, whic... full review

Linda Muggeridge’s smart and sexy costumes are no small part of the entertainment quotient in this condensed all-female production of The Taming of the Shrew, which casts a benign and playful eye on BDSM. A fierce yet doleful Katharina (Jennifer Albert) makes her first appearance in slinky black leather while her supposedly doe-like sister Bianca (Tara Donovan) shows up in high heels, white stockings and a short frilly white skirt. When Petruchio (Dawn Alden), rolls in, the choleric Katharina drawn to him, despite herself. And it turns out that the gentle Bianca also enjoys these games, playing dominant mistress with her lover, Lucentio (Dana DeRuyck), by spanking him lightly in the midst of their affectionate embraces. Directed by Daniel... full review

What a fun translation of Shakespeare! Competent actors, exorbitant costumes, and just the right amount of bawdy! Of particular note in this all female cast (a fun twist on Shakespeare for sure) were Tara Donovan as the "proper lady Bianca", dressed in white throughout, who we see come out of her shell in a classic role-reversal (emphasis on "reversal"0. Also, Sylvia Loehndorf as Grumio almost stole the show in a number of scenes with very few lines but spot-on Shakespearean interpretation of character.... full review

I really enjoyed this new look on an old favorite..or is it new? Perhaps Shakespeare had this in mind all along? Mistress Kara setting the stage was such an inspired idea. We knew from the start where we were. Far from the typical bravado driven Petruchio, Dawn Alden, gave a lovely nuanced performance that actually showed that she truly wanted Kate with passion and might actual care for her? In the BDSM context, Kate's transformation was her own and Jen Albert reveled in it. Tara Donovan and Dana DeRuyck were a delight to watch as they took their roles in an unexpectedly fun twist. The cast was strong and direction was clever in the space constraints. Highly recommended! ... full review

Taming of the Shrew has and is ever a problematic play to justify in the modern world with feminism and the independence of women. But add in a little bit of bondage and domination and oddly enough it all starts to make sense. Highly Recommended. Read the full review at Gia On The Move (official press) : http://giaonthemove.com/2015/06/22/gia-hff15-reviews-50-shades-of-shrew/... full review

Okay. I was duped. I came to try the show ready to be enticed and turned-on, 50 Shades-Style. But I wasn't. What happened instead was a fun time, and a renewed appreciation for Shakespeare. And a great reason to breakout and start reading my "Complete Works.". Congrats Ladies!... full review

An excellent adaptation of a Shakespeare play! I saw the show twice and I still got some surprises the second time around, picking up on the more nuanced aspects of the performances. I love the fast paced humor, the costumes, and the wonderful cast!... full review