The Taming of the Shrew - a not quite so rambling review
Mon, 17 Mar 2003, 11:02 amleece2 posts in thread
The Taming of the Shrew - a not quite so rambling review
Mon, 17 Mar 2003, 11:02 amHi folks,
Just a quick note to say that the performance on Saturday night was even better than last Saturday and we all know how much I enjoyed that!
The pea(foul)fowl also spared us their calls which was an added bonus! Joe Satriani works!
Rob and I took our Mums along this time and they both thoroughly enjoyed it.
Some highlights:
Kathryn's (Maggie McPhee) end speech was marvellous, we saw the wave of recognition of her great truth break over her like a tsunami.
When Petrucchio's (David Meadows) trick flower dribbled over him instead of squirting Baptista in the face as it was meant to neither actor paused for a minute,
but Petrucchio affected mild comic dismay as I'm sure he would have in real life
and Baptista just gave a smug but very restrained smile of Baptista superiority.
The crew vanishing the crushed cups were so efficient the chaos vanished like magic, one of them was Pamela Smith and I think another was Paula Griffiths, but they moved so swiftly and silently I didn't have time to make notes, but you all did a great job with The Induction, well oiled machinery has got nothing on you folk!
A special mention must be made of Hortensio (Mark Blades), who despite suffering what sounded like a very painful sore throat, delivered his lines powerfully enough to reach the entire audience through the entire performance.
What a performer. Best wishes for a speedy recovery by next performance.
An audience member being restrained from assisting the 'security guard' with the marvellous Stephen Lee as the troublemaking drunk (now is this the perfect role for a director? :-D ) at the start, deceived, as are we all who aren't in the know.
It is very rewarding to keep an eye on Stephen Lee particularly before the play
starts and also during interval. Some excellent ad libbing going on.
Once more, no one, even those in the induction party breaks from character even
during the Shrew performance.
A powerful and deeply involved performance by all on Saturday night and meticulous sound, stage and lighting.
Do catch this if at all possible, it really is one of this year's gems.
Alicia Smith
Thou lumpish fly-bitten boar-pig!
Just a quick note to say that the performance on Saturday night was even better than last Saturday and we all know how much I enjoyed that!
The pea(foul)fowl also spared us their calls which was an added bonus! Joe Satriani works!
Rob and I took our Mums along this time and they both thoroughly enjoyed it.
Some highlights:
Kathryn's (Maggie McPhee) end speech was marvellous, we saw the wave of recognition of her great truth break over her like a tsunami.
When Petrucchio's (David Meadows) trick flower dribbled over him instead of squirting Baptista in the face as it was meant to neither actor paused for a minute,
but Petrucchio affected mild comic dismay as I'm sure he would have in real life
and Baptista just gave a smug but very restrained smile of Baptista superiority.
The crew vanishing the crushed cups were so efficient the chaos vanished like magic, one of them was Pamela Smith and I think another was Paula Griffiths, but they moved so swiftly and silently I didn't have time to make notes, but you all did a great job with The Induction, well oiled machinery has got nothing on you folk!
A special mention must be made of Hortensio (Mark Blades), who despite suffering what sounded like a very painful sore throat, delivered his lines powerfully enough to reach the entire audience through the entire performance.
What a performer. Best wishes for a speedy recovery by next performance.
An audience member being restrained from assisting the 'security guard' with the marvellous Stephen Lee as the troublemaking drunk (now is this the perfect role for a director? :-D ) at the start, deceived, as are we all who aren't in the know.
It is very rewarding to keep an eye on Stephen Lee particularly before the play
starts and also during interval. Some excellent ad libbing going on.
Once more, no one, even those in the induction party breaks from character even
during the Shrew performance.
A powerful and deeply involved performance by all on Saturday night and meticulous sound, stage and lighting.
Do catch this if at all possible, it really is one of this year's gems.
Alicia Smith
Thou lumpish fly-bitten boar-pig!