My overall impression
“I am ashamed that women are so simple / To offer war where they should kneel for peace, / Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway, / When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.” Taming of the Shrew, Act V, Scene 2. William Shakespeare.
Possibly one of the most controversial passages in the entire canon to our modern ears; that women are bound to serve, love, and obey their husbands. One passage, as part of a problematic text that is wholly reclaimed and repurposed by Broads’ Word Theatre in their BDSM-infused, exploratory production Fifty Shades of Shrew.
Take one scan through the audience reviews of this piece (or of any production of The Taming of the Shrew) and you’ll find at the very least a handful of viewers who have feared outing themselves as fans of Shrew. The minute someone says, “Taming of the Shrew? That’s my favorite Shakespeare!” they are met with derision and judgement. But what if that judgment was replaced by open-mindedness? What if, instead of an abrasively chauvinistic exposé of patriarchal power, Shrew pointed to the ways in which communication and loving understanding between two human beings can lead to care, safety, and true, deep happiness? THAT is what Fifty Shades of Shrew accomplishes.
Inducted by Mistress Kära’s explanation of the basic tenants of safe and consensual BDSM play, the audience takes on the role of Christopher Sly and is presented with the crisp and vigorous performance. From the moment Lucentio (eager and laser-focused Dana DeRuyck) and Tranio (the cajoling and playful Shana Gregory Williams) hit the stage with the opening lines, the tone and pace of the evening is set and doesn’t let up until the audience has left the building. From Marti Hale’s wonderfully grounded and sincere Gremio to the contest for “#1 Sub” between the riotous Sylvia Loehndorf’s Grumio and Lisagaye Tomlinson’s Curtis, the show never lets the audience catch their breath until exactly the opportune moment.
Danielle Ozymandias’ direction and cut of the text is extremely clean and effective, trimming off the redundancies, non sequiturs and reiterations that abound in Shrew, and presenting a potent and entrancing story.
While the entire ensemble is extremely well balanced, the story shines in the relationship between Dawn Alden’s Petruchio and Jen Albert’s Katharina. Alden’s Petruchio enters with a familiar bravado that is immediately dashed to pieces and momentarily replaced by schoolboy nervousness by the appearance of Albert’s Kate. Temporarily dumbstruck but recovering quickly, Alden drives Petruchio forward with the excitement and control not of an abusive misogynist, but of a loving and caring dom who knows what he wants and enjoys, and knows how to guide Kate toward what he sees that she’s been looking for. Albert’s resistance to the confident advances slowly wanes as she allows her Katharina to incrementally discover the deep connection that is being offered to, and begged of her. It is truly beautiful to watch as understanding washes over Albert’s eyes when Alden is finally pushed past frustration into doleful dejection at Kate’s refusal to play. And the light that bursts forth from Alden when her partner accepts the role as sub with a wry and playful consent takes this problematic play and reclaims it in the name of caring love.
While the production falls subject to some of the familiar pitfalls of Fringe (fun but often inconsistent costumes and that necessary but unfortunately bare-bones feeling that results from rapid show-to-show changeovers), the performances are the heart of the production and each one shines on its own, as well as part of the whole.
And though the Fringe run of Fifty Shades of Shrew may be done, keep your notifications turned on because this show should not and will not end its run here.
