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Bard back to the boards at the beach
The shrew tamed? Petruchio (Patrick Vest) marries Katherine (Suzanne Dean), and all’s well that ends well, right? Photo by Alysa Brennan
Before attending Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities’ (CLOSBC) current production of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse, it’s advisable to NOT read the play. The work is a comedic love story when seen on stage. If attempting to read it while splicing the main brace in your Laz-E-Boy, you may find yourself experiencing a long swig at the Holliard’s because Bob’s-a-dying. Just relax before you go to the theater, see off a tot or two and hope your neighbor leaves you with some sandy bottoms.
Make sense? Find a British salt from the 16th century to translate. It was right about the time of Britain’s defeat of the Spanish armada that Shakespeare penned “The Taming of the Shrew.” You might want to revive your old tar’s grog of Pusser’s Rum before asking him to translate the play.
The best way to keep the characters straight in this classic is to simply memorize the colors of their tights. Men in tights present a pretty disgusting sight, so don’t dwell on the image.
The ladies of Padua involved in this plot are sisters Bianca and Katherine. Bianca’s the babe that every man wants; Kate’s the bitch. Bianca’s suitors go to great lengths in courting her. Lucentio disguises himself as Cambio, a tutor. Meanwhile, Tranio, Lucentio’s servant, takes on his master’s identity. No one except Petruchio, Hortensio’s pal from Verona, wants anything to do with Katherine. Eventually Petruchio weds and deals with Katherine, hence the taming of the shrew. The whole thing reads like a Maserati parts manual.
Because the story has been popularized by the 20th century’s hit musical, “Kiss Me Kate,” CLOSBC Artistic Director (and director of this production) Stephanie Coltrin is confident the audience can follow the multiple character machinations of the onstage activity. She said she’s even referenced a Cole Porter lyric into the script. I doubt it’s “Begin the Beguine,” but she didn’t say.
“We have worked hard in staging and costuming to make sure that the audience is aware of the characters; it’s pretty obvious when you see the show,” said Coltrin. Alas, poor Yorik, you needeth not dwell upon the hue of the hosiery.
Pet’s methods of corralling his beloved Kate wouldn’t sit too well in 21st century Hermosa Beach, but, then again, only aliens inhabited Hermosa Beach in 1590 – kinda like today. He withheld food from her and wouldn’t allow her to sleep, but she ended up loving him anyway. Similar treatment didn’t work on either of my wives.
“It was indicative of the times, but now a bit dated,” said Coltrin. “We tend to play it down.”
Admitting that the original story is tough on women, Coltrin clarified that “It is a love story. Katherine and Petruchio are truly in love with each other.”
A subtitle to “The Taming of the Shrew” would appropriately read, “The Misogynists’ Guide to Married Life.” If spoken today, lines like: “…whose wife is most obedient?” and Kate’s statement near the end of the play that husbands ask only “love, fair looks and true obedience” would most certainly encourage at least one ER news editor to use her cleanly manicured nails in the performance of an impromptu disembowelment of our beloved publisher.
And all this took place about 150 years pre-Guinness.
In the original, there is what is referred to as an “induction” which is a device to establish the play-within-a-play. Poor, young Christopher Sly is found drunk at the side of the road and is later convinced that he is a “lord” who will be entertained by a cast performing “The Taming of the Shrew.” The same happens every Saturday night at Hennessey’s.
When asked what the induction was all about, Coltrin said, “We eliminated that. It didn’t resolve and it didn’t add to the story.” Editing a guy who’s been dead for 400 years has its advantages.
CLOSBC did “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” last season, so Shakespeare is nothing new to Coltrin. Also, last summer she directed the South Bay parks’ presentations of the Shakespeare by the Sea series and will reprise her efforts this summer with “King Lear.” Indeed, her experience under the stars afforded her the meeting of Patrick Vest. Vest, who played Marc Antony last summer, is Coltrin’s Petruchio at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse.
Petruchio digs in
“I’ve played Petruchio before, but it’s been a while ago,” said Vest. “The very first time I did it, the woman playing Kate ended up becoming my wife, so this is a good play for me.”
Vest, as previously mentioned, worked with Coltrin last summer in Shakespeare by the Sea’s “Julius Caesar.” 2010 was his fourth year performing in the popular outdoor arena. Vest’s history at CLOSBC includes roles in “Moonlight and Magnolias” and “Barefoot in the Park.”
He said he has enjoyed the rehearsals. “Everyone is getting along very well; it’s a fun group of people. It will definitely be a funny show.”
Is Suzanne Dean a believable shrew?
“I’ve known Suzanne for about 10 years. We’ve been in many of the same productions, but, in all that time, we’ve only been together in one scene,” said Vest, mentioning that it’s finally fun to have some good words that they can share.
Will your Petruchio be the true, overbearing tamer of this young lass?
“In the text, Petruchio says basically that he’s going to give her a piece of her own medicine, so what I try to do is mirror the shrewishness she presents to me, and go one step farther to show her that I can do it too,” said Vest. “If that’s the kind of relationship you want, we’re going to get married one way or another. In those days marriage was a contract, essentially an exchange of goods. Petruchio wants to have love, but only on his terms. So Petruchio says, ‘If you want to have this kind of relationship where we’re going to fight, I’m going to win.’”
A shrew by any other name…
Suzanne Dean is Katherine, Katherina, Kate. “All three names are referred to in the original,” said Coltrin. It’s tough being a shrew, but somebody’s gotta do it. Dean performed in a recent CLOSBC production, “Barefoot in the Park,” in yet another role where a lady required a bit of taming.
As per the preparation of this offering of the Bard’s work, Dean said, “As always, it’s a typical short rehearsal process – fast and furious – but it’s gone really well.”
Dean is a dues-paying member of the Shakespeare Association of America, of which she is quick to point out is now an international fellowship with members in London, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and other nations. This requires a closet filled with tights of many colors and hairpieces of various shades and lengths. Seriously, one must be a member of a theatrical organization that produces Shakespeare’s plays to be considered for membership and Dean has years of affiliation with Shakespeare by the Sea.
“I’ve done Katherine once before, but I’m really excited about doing her again because I wasn’t pleased with my past performance,” said Dean.
So, how are you approaching the character? Are you a bitch from the start?
“No! It’s really important for me to always find the humanity and the soul of the characters I play and not just take them at face value,” said Dean. “To me the challenge throughout the script has been to find those places that spark me; make me act like a shrew. But, she’s not really a shrew at heart. She’s more reactive…. To me, she’s a little bit like Scarlett O’Hara – desperate for love but misunderstood by everybody and just one tough cookie.”
Somehow, “Frankly, Katherine, I don’t give a damn,” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.
‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ Hermosa Beach Playhouse, 710 Pier Ave. (corner of PCH), Hermosa Beach. Preview tonight at 8 p.m. Regular schedule: Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees: March 27 and April 3 at 2 p.m. Sunday evening: March 27 at 7 p.m. Closes: Sunday, April 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $35 – $45. Call 310-372-4477 or visit hermosabechplayhouse.com. ER
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