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The Taming of the Shrew

  • 2016
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
58
YOUR RATING
The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
9 Photos
Comedy

The main action of The Taming of the Shrew takes place as a play within the play, performed for the benefit of a drunken tinker, Christopher Sly. Baptista Minola, a wealthy widower of Padua,... Read allThe main action of The Taming of the Shrew takes place as a play within the play, performed for the benefit of a drunken tinker, Christopher Sly. Baptista Minola, a wealthy widower of Padua, has two daughters: the demure and popular Bianca and her sharp-tongued and ill-tempered o... Read allThe main action of The Taming of the Shrew takes place as a play within the play, performed for the benefit of a drunken tinker, Christopher Sly. Baptista Minola, a wealthy widower of Padua, has two daughters: the demure and popular Bianca and her sharp-tongued and ill-tempered older sister, Katherina. Bianca already has two suitors - Hortensio and Gremio - when a thi... Read all

  • Director
    • Barry Avrich
  • Writer
    • William Shakespeare
  • Stars
    • Sarah Afful
    • Ben Carlson
    • Deborah Hay
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    58
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Barry Avrich
    • Writer
      • William Shakespeare
    • Stars
      • Sarah Afful
      • Ben Carlson
      • Deborah Hay
    • 1User review
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos9

    The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    Peter Hutt, Mike Shara, Tom Rooney, Ben Carlson, Deborah Hay, and Gordon S. Miller in The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    Deborah Hay in The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    The Taming of the Shrew (2016)
    Peter Hutt, Mike Shara, Tom Rooney, and Gordon S. Miller in The Taming of the Shrew (2016)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sarah Afful
    Sarah Afful
    • Bianca
    Ben Carlson
    Ben Carlson
    • Petruchio
    Deborah Hay
    Deborah Hay
    • Katherina
    Peter Hutt
    • Baptista
    Robert King
    • Vincentio
    John Kirkpatrick
    John Kirkpatrick
    • Pedant
    Cyrus Lane
    Cyrus Lane
    • Lucentio
    Gordon S. Miller
    • Biondello
    Thomas Antony Olajide
    Thomas Antony Olajide
    • Nathaniel
    • (as Thomas Olajide)
    Sarah Orenstein
    • Widow
    Tom Rooney
    • Tranio
    Mike Shara
    Mike Shara
    • Hortensio
    Michael Spencer-Davis
    Michael Spencer-Davis
    • Gremio
    Brian Tree
    • Grumio
    • Director
      • Barry Avrich
    • Writer
      • William Shakespeare
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Far from tame
    'The Taming of the Shrew' may not be one of my favourite plays of one of the greatest, most important and most influential playwrights who ever lived. It however has always been incredibly entertaining and charming and Katherina and Petruchio are fascinatingly written characters. It was dismissed as misogynistic at the time and still is controversial on that front, but the characterisation, entertainment value and Shakespeare's mastery of language (especially shining in the taming process) really shine.

    All of this is more than apparent in this Stratford production, the filmed Stratford Shakespeare productions are all well worth watching and their version of 'The Taming of the Shrew' is one of the winners. For me it's one of the most entertaining, most insightfully directed and best acted, and while not the best overall version of 'The Taming of the Shrew' (the 1976 production) it does so well at having plenty to enjoy for those familiar with the play and being accessible while still being tasteful to first-timers.

    Did feel that the ending didn't have the same amount of invention and emotional punch compared to the rest of the production, but everything else is brilliantly done.

    First and foremost, the acting. Ben Carlson sizzles as Petruchio and gives the text the emotional complexity and command needed. His chemistry with Deborah Hay is absolute dynamite. Tom Rooney and Gordon C Miller are wickedly funny and manage to not overplay characters that easily can be overacted. Best of all, and for me the best thing about the production, is the furious force of nature that is Hay. Have very rarely seen a Katharina this contemptuous, this emotionally physical or with shrewishness this firey, yet the taming doesn't feel too diluted and gives some heart. All the chemistry is full of passion.

    Costumes and sets are truly lavish and the intimate yet expansive enough camera work is some of the best of any Shakespeare productions from, or seen in, recent years. The music is also beautiful and fits the atmosphere and period adeptly, authenticity not being in question. Loved the intimate but also interactive ambience, it did feel like you were in the venue and witnessing how Shakespeare's plays were performed in his day.

    Staging is thoughtful and tasteful, with plenty of funny moments with the entertainment value being relentless, moments that give the chills and yet the heart is not lost. It also isn't afraid to take risks and does so in for example the daring way Katharina is directed. It is accessible and easy to follow, while never losing the heart. The pacing is consistently lively, apart from losing a little fire at the end.

    All in all, excellent and with Hay being especially striking. 9/10.
    helpful•6
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Feb 18, 2022

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 29, 2016 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • media coverage
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bolshoi Ballet: The Taming of the Shrew
    • Filming locations
      • Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
    • Production company
      • Melbar Entertainment Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $251,473
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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