The Bard's comedy among the redwoods
Roxie Hebson For the Times-Standard
Eureka Times Standard
Shakespeare -- his works just seem to endure. The themes he explores are timeless.
Evidence: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd recently wrote an editorial entitled, "How to Train a Woman." The article suggests methods for both women and men to train their mates. To train a man, women may consider using similar methods as those used by exotic animal trainers. Namely, ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior. Men, on the other hand, may use intimacy and face-to-face compliments to train a woman.
Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" addresses just such a dilemma. Namely, the challenge one character faces in his quest to "tame" his mate. In this case, Petruchio aims to tame the ill-tempered Kate, otherwise known as a "shrew."
Nestled among the towering redwoods of the Arcata Community Forest, the Arcata Recreation Division presented an outstanding performance of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The setting seemed quite appropriate for a play by a towering figure among all playwrights.
"The Taming of the Shrew" is one of Shakespeare's earliest comedies. It sparkles with the wit typical of the Bard. Set in Padua, Italy, the play takes place in an age in which marriage was essentially an economic institution. Many a parents' main concern in life was to see their child well-married. In "The Taming of the Shrew," a father, Baptista, seeks to marry off his two daughters. While the younger daughter, Bianca, is a gentle-natured beauty, much sought after by the opposite sex, the elder daughter, Katherina (Kate) is a contemptuous, ill-natured beauty, much avoided by the opposite sex. Baptista insists that Bianca may not marry until a match is made for Kate, a seemingly impossible challenge.
Enter the clever Petruchio. Petruchio will stop at nothing to tame the fierce Kate. In him, Kate has finally met her intellectual equal, a man who does not cower to her scornful ways. The methods Petruchio employs to tame her would today offend many. However, lest we take it too seriously, let us remember that Shakespeare did intend this play as a comedy and it should be enjoyed as such.
Meanwhile, Bianca is in search of true love herself. It seems she may have found the love she seeks in the charming, intelligent, Lucentio. However, the two must work around the nuisance of Bianca's two other suitors, Gremio and Hortensio. With characters in disguise and the occasional outrageous costume, "The Taming of the Shrew" is both clever and uproarious.
To name commendable acting performances, one has to mention nearly the entire cast. Jennifer Trustem as Kate was superb. Any time a character has to make such a profound transformation, it presents quite a challenge to the actor. However, Trustem handled her character's transformation with great skill. She was completely convincing first, as a woman you would never want to cross and second, as a loyal wife. The other lead actor, David Hamilton in the role of Petruchio, was utterly persuasive as the sharp-tongued wit and was particularly enjoyable to watch.
Jabari Morgan, in the role of Lucentio, has the first speaking part in the play and immediately commands the audience's attention. His voice, resonant and clear, seems to be designed to read the words of Shakespeare. Bianca's suitors, Gremio and Hortensio, played by Jim Buschman and Craig Klapman respectively, were both brilliant in their roles. Newcomer Genaro Calabrese was spot on in the role of the nobleman, Vincentio.
The directors did change a few things from Shakespeare's original. Notably, the role of Baptista is performed by a woman, the marvelous, Kathy Marks. This casting added several moments of humor to an already hilarious story-line.
Additionally, Andrew Jordan as the servant Gremio and Dawn Hudson as Bianca both did an excellent job. I loved Eric Rez and Gina Montagna as servants, Grumio and Biondello. Both have an outstanding comedic sense and were scene-stealers. All of the younger actors, David Carr, Jeffery Venturino and Marco Montagna performed admirably and are off to excellent beginnings in their acting careers.
Reading the cast biographies one finds a mix of seasoned stage veterans and inexperienced novices. It is to director Linnea Conway's credit that such a diverse cast blended so seamlessly. Not only did the performance feature stellar acting performances, it is a true community event, giving an opportunity for young, inexperienced actors to perform alongside more experienced actors.
While the set was simple, it was beautiful and effective at communicating the feeling of an Italian villa. The brilliant play, excellent acting and beautiful setting made for an immensely enjoyable evening.
I enjoyed the performance so much, I would love to go back and watch the entire play again. Who knows, I just may learn some good "taming" techniques.
Performances of "Taming of the Shrew" will continue every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. through August 12th, with Sunday matinee performances on July 30th and August 6th at 2 p.m. All performances will be held at the Arcata Community Park. |
