Robertson Dean
The Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare
Shakespeare Santa Cruz
2004
Photo: r.r. jones
…a classy new vision of Shrew…that manages to sharpen
the cutting battle-of-the-sexes wordplay while blunting some of the objectionable Elizabethan ideas
about a wife’s duty to her husband. … Ocel’s shrewd direction smooth out many of the rocky ideas about
the subjugation of women to male dominance… This Shrew looks and plays like a screwball comedy… Ocel
creates a beautiful moment even when the play has concluded. more...
…a marvelously funny Shrew. Ocel’s direction is
well paced and visually pleasing, and the characters evolve with fine definition. … The production is a
splendid one, and even after all these years, Kate and Petruchio never fail to play games with your
imagination. more...
Taming transforms what many would consider an archaic
story of females “submitting” to their husbands, into a contemporary analysis of gender roles and
marriage. Blending equal amounts of comedy with wit, intellect, stellar acting, vivid costumes and
perfect direction, this show is a new SSC favorite. …wickedly and deliciously funny. more...
The Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare Santa Cruz, 2004
Sharply paced and played with impeccable comic timing, it draws most of its
humor from the script, making use of its modern-dress format for occasional inventive flourishes and
fleeting pop references. Ocel’s primary focus is on re-imagining the Kate-Petruchio relationship—and
the result is intriguing. … Ocel makes the taming less monstrous by having Petruchio suffer as much as
Kate… The result, in Chandler's knowing recital of Kate's big submission speech, and Dean's overwhelmed
reaction, is unusually satisfying and touching. more...