Tour de farce

Colonial stages a wild Shrew

by Bill Rodriguez

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. By William Shakespeare. Directed by Harland Meltzer. With Elizabeth Heflin and David Anthony Smith. Presented by Colonial Theatre's Shakespeare In the Park series, at Wilcox Park through August 8.

The Taming of the Shrew, once as popular as A Midsummer Night's Dream for light summer fare, has gained new life and frequency now that it's perfectly PC to play around with being Politically Incorrect. Since post-feminist women are feminists by birthright rather than slogan, Shakespeare's culture-bound battle of the sexes can be as unthreatening as a Monty Python spoof.

The production at Wilcox Park, part of this year's Westerly Shakespeare In the Park program, is a rollicking, never-lets-up war-whoop of a comedy. Beautifully costumed, tightly directed and superbly cast, the Colonial Theatre staging wouldn't be out of place in Central Park. Half the actors are Actors' Equity performers, and the supporting cast rises to the occasion.

The setting is Padua, since lusty, hot-tempered Italians were a stereotype even in Elizabethan times. The wealthy Baptista Minola (Ed Franklin) has two daughters, but tradition demands that the eldest, Katherina (Elizabeth Heflin), be married off before the younger, Bianca (Robin Terry), who has suitors to spare. Kate is not exactly the debutante of the season, since she has the unladylike habit of speaking, or shrieking, her mind, often while hurling more than invectives.

Smitten with Bianca's beauty and gentle manner, Lucentio (Michael Heckler) schemes with his servant Tranio (Todd Gross), who will pretend to be his gentleman master while the latter pretends to be a tutor for Bianca, so that he can woo her. Conveniently, another stranger comes to Padua "to wive it wealthily." Petruchio (David Anthony Smith), encouraged by a large dowry, is confident that he can tame the wild Kate, make her a wife fit for an irreparable chauvinist like himself.

With fiery red hair and sparks-shedding intensity, Heflin is a Katherina that transcends temperament. She`s smart and alert, so we get a sense that Kate is more than just a hot-head; we come to respect her for standing up for herself. Shakespeare makes Kate sharper witted than anyone else in the play -- juggling three meanings of the word "mean" in a face-off with another shrewish woman -- although Petruchio is strong competition. We can practically see the light bulb click on over her head when she finally realizes the rules of the marriage game that her new husband has been trying to teach her, whereby a woman can publicly defer to her lord and master but may add a conspiratorial wink to him.

As Petruchio, Smith has the same commanding presence he had as the villainous Iago in last summer's Othello. But here he has a brash boyishness that takes the edge off his bossiness -- he's not a malicious patriarch, just a headstrong one. His Petruchio doesn't take himself seriously, so Kate's initial obstinacy doesn't affront his male ego. Most importantly, this allows quite a payoff toward the end, when merely through his softened voice and abruptly gentle demeanor, we see that he has come to love and admire Kate.

There's plenty of skillful support to make this all work. Terry gives Bianca, whom Shakespeare doesn't provide with much distinct individuality, a charming personality we'd like to know better. As Petruchio's servant Grumio, Wayne Pyle is the comical crowd-pleaser of the evening. He is given plenty of competition by the likes of Todd Gross, as Lucentio's servant Tranio, with such touches as his Cowardly Lion bravado in a spat with his master, and the doddering suitor Gremio (Arthur "Bucky" Walsh), with his threatening Godfather imitation.

Director Harland Meltzer has shaped this all like a kinetic sculpture. Just about every exchange is packed with business that entertains or clarifies or both -- most of the bawdy references that might be unfamiliar to modern audiences are given visual aid. Even if you're not familiar with the story, the relationships and motivations are made clear to an extent that is rare and welcome in Shakespearean productions.

The concluding portion of Westerly Shakespeare In the Park 1999 is an August 10-15 presentation of Macbeth (also free, but donations are requested). The veteran Anglian Open Air Shakespeare Company is coming straight from England, but they would do well indeed to match the quality of this home-grown production.