By Robyn Forbes
On Friday, March 17, laughter filled MLEC’s auditorium as actors from GableStage performed their interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. From the audience, actors could be seen, and heard, vividly portraying the characters with striking accuracy.
There was great energy on stage as the actors exaggerated each emotion and incorporated both Shakespearean and modern language that kept the crowd engaged. Grumio was his typical unintelligible self, Petruchio incoherent and controlling, and Katherina, uniquely feisty.
Some of the actors donned traditional Commedia dell’Arte style masks, a theatre style developed by traveling improvisational shows in Italy with roots found in the Mime drama of Roman theatre. Others strutted the stage bare-faced, showing off their ability to embody a character fully.
Throughout the play, the actors interacted with the audience several times without breaking character. In one scene, the actor who played Petruchio could be seen tossing slices of pizza into the audience after denying Katherina the privilege of having some for herself. Audience members sitting in the front row also received a handshake from Sir Petruchio upon his arrival at Baptista’s house.
Although the production was an abridged version of Shakespeare’s original script, the actors did a remarkable job of maintaining the artistic integrity of the piece. They managed to tell the story of love and deception, and recreate an imagined reality which left their audience erupting with applause, all in under two hours.
“It was amazing,” says Kathleen Obrer, a student in the Forensic Science strand. “I absolutely loved the energy the actors had, and they stayed relatively true to the actual play story while adding in some current humor. It was a lot of fun to watch.”
At the conclusion of the production, actors gave the audience an opportunity to ask questions and take pictures. Several students lined up at the front of the stage to take selfies with the actors who portrayed these passionate characters.
“I loved the Q&A session and being able to gain a little bit of insight on the actors that brought these characters to life. I went in with high expectations because I’d already read and watched the play, and I’m happy to say that they were met,” said Sabine Joseph.
For many of those who witnessed the production on Friday, it was their first encounter with the Taming of the Shrew script, yet it was clear that everyone could find some part of the show enjoyable. A play like this one was a great way to introduce students to Shakespeare, give them a good time, and expose them to the art form that is classical theatre.
