The Little Theatre remains a sublime venue for storytelling, bringing audiences close to the action while offering a performance space capable of supporting a remarkable variety of entrances, movement, and theatrical possibilities. The atmosphere created within the venue, the thoughtful management of the space, and the warmth extended to audiences all contribute to an inviting theatrical experience that immediately places patrons in the right frame of mind for live performance.
Shakespeare is no mean feat. The language, rhythm, and complexity of the text demand clarity, intelligence and confidence from performers and directors alike. Verse, prose, iambic pentameter, status, layered relationships, characters pretending to be other characters, and one acting space transforming into multiple locations all present enormous challenges. Actors constantly negotiate questions of physicality, rhythm, textual meaning, and character truth. How much does one lean into the verse? How much emotional realism is prioritised? How is clarity sustained while maintaining theatrical energy? None of it is straightforward.
This production of The Taming of the Shrew embraced those challenges with bold creativity, contemporary flair, and remarkable theatrical energy. Reimagined within the world of a modern music production company, the play became a fast-paced exploration of performance, power, image, and identity, all wrapped within a highly entertaining theatrical framework.
The ensemble company did a cracking job. The cast delivered a rip-roaring performance filled with larger-than-life characters, bags of courage, commitment, and actors wholeheartedly throwing themselves into the story.
What makes this achievement particularly impressive is the context surrounding the production itself. Originally preparing The Merry Wives of Windsor, the cast and creative team pivoted to The Taming of the Shrew only eight weeks before opening. Under the direction of Olivia Jane Parker, the company undertook what must have been an enormous artistic and logistical challenge. The result was not a rushed or compromised production, but one that felt cohesive, inventive, and passionately committed.
Particularly striking within the program was the sheer number of people surrounding the production and supporting this artistic pivot. The inclusion of a dramaturg, vocal coach, and an array of local musical talent both on and off stage demonstrated the depth of collaboration involved in bringing the work to life. It reflected a company committed not simply to “getting the play on,” but to crafting a thoughtful and fully realised theatrical experience.
From the opening moments, the production embraced the high-pressure atmosphere of the entertainment industry. The concept of “Paradise,” a contemporary music production company, provided a clever and effective parallel to the transactional relationships already embedded within Shakespeare’s text. Celebrity culture, branding, ambition, and public image all became central elements of the storytelling, allowing the themes of the play to resonate strongly with a modern audience.
Parker’s direction maintained strong momentum throughout the performance. Scene transitions were fluid, ensemble interactions tightly coordinated, and the overall pacing sustained a vibrant theatrical rhythm. The contemporary setting never felt gimmicky; instead, it offered a meaningful lens through which audiences could engage with the more difficult aspects of the play. Questions of control, gender expectation, and performance were explored thoughtfully without losing the humour and theatricality that make Shakespeare’s comedies so engaging.
The production was well supported by experienced performers in the principal roles, delivering Shakespeare’s text with nuance, understanding, strong characterisation, and theatrical flair. Most notable was Tom Tassone, who brought Petruchio vividly to life with charisma, vocal control, and complexity, successfully matching and taking measure of the powerful and wonderfully realised “waspish” Katherine portrayed by Heather Crawford. Together, the pair navigated roles that are especially challenging for contemporary audiences, particularly given the difficult power imbalance between Petruchio and Katherine that sits at the centre of the play.
Heather Crawford’s work in the final scene was especially compelling. In a scene that many productions choose to soften, reinterpret, or cut entirely, Crawford managed to bring emotional intelligence and humanity to the conclusion, grounding the moment with sincerity and control. Her performance helped steer the ending toward something thoughtful and dramatically satisfying rather than merely uncomfortable or performative.
A special mention should also go to Indie Elliot Potter as Biondello, who at times stole scenes through a wonderfully focused and fully engaged performance. Even when not directly involved in the central action, Potter remained constantly connected to the world of the play, bringing energy, humour, and commitment that added greatly to the ensemble dynamic. Their performance balanced truthful presence within the given circumstances alongside strong characterisation, creating moments of genuine theatrical delight.
Mention should go to John Charles as Tranio. A self-professed “big presence on any stage, in size and energy,” Charles brought considerable theatrical vitality to the production and proved a strong contributor to the ensemble’s energetic atmosphere. His commitment, comic instinct, and willingness to fully inhabit the world of the play added momentum and presence throughout the performance. There is clearly a confident and engaging stage presence at work here, and with greater restraint and trust in stillness and textual clarity, Charles has the potential to develop performances that are not only dynamic, but deeply grounded and compelling.
There was warmth in the performance and a generosity of spirit that made audiences feel entirely on the side of the company wanting them to succeed, breathe in the atmosphere created, relish the theatricality, and encourage others to experience the production.
The production was not without its challenges, as Shakespeare often is, and the limited rehearsal time available to the company likely placed pressure on the process. While the performance sustained impressive energy and theatrical momentum, there were moments where performances leaned toward over-gesturing and heightened external presentation at the expense of emotional truth. At times, the physicality became overly demonstrative, distancing the audience from the authenticity of the relationships and intentions beneath the dialogue. Shakespeare’s advice in Hamlet “…to hold, as “twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image……suit the action to the word, the word to the action…” felt particularly relevant here. In some scenes, gesture and movement occasionally overwhelmed the clarity and honesty of the text rather than emerging organically from it. But it was funny!
Stillness can be powerful, and there were moments where the production missed opportunities to allow the language itself to do more of the emotional heavy lifting. Shakespeare’s text carries immense emotional and psychological depth, and occasionally the pace and physical energy of the staging moved too quickly past moments that may have benefited from greater simplicity, trust, and stillness. Nevertheless, the cast’s commitment and enthusiasm remained evident throughout, contributing to a production that was ambitious, bold, and undeniably engaging.
The technical elements of the production were simple and effective, and that ultimately became their greatest strength. Nothing felt overcomplicated or unnecessary. The lighting design was particularly strong, skilfully supporting both the heightened theatricality of the music-industry setting and the emotional shifts within the performance. Changes in mood, pace, and atmosphere were handled with precision, helping sustain the production’s dynamic energy throughout the evening.
The musical elements, while ambitious and at times highly effective, occasionally felt somewhat erratic in their placement and consistency. There were moments where music emerged quite suddenly rather than building naturally from the action or emotional rhythm of the scene, which at times disrupted rather than enhanced the dramatic momentum. Nevertheless, the integration of live and recorded musical textures contributed to the distinctive identity of the production and reinforced the contemporary world Parker and the company sought to create.
The costumes also deserve special recognition, adding a real zing to the creativity of the production and helping define the playful, heightened world inhabited by the ensemble. The costume design (Sue Cayzer) captured the energy of the music-production-company concept while allowing performers individuality and theatrical flair.
Equally effective was the set design, which proved flexible, versatile, and exceptionally well managed. The simplicity of the staging allowed scenes to transition smoothly while maintaining the fast-moving rhythm essential to the production’s success. The set functioned creatively within the Little Theatre space, supporting multiple locations and performance styles without becoming cluttered or distracting.
What was particularly striking about the overall design was the way it offered subtle nods to other Shakespearean worlds (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, The Tempest, and King John) all sitting within the depths of a music studio and production-company environment. This layered visual palette created a rich theatrical world for the scenes to inhabit, and Parker used that palette skilfully in the delivery of the piece. Together, the technical and design teams contributed significantly to the professionalism, clarity, creativity, and cohesion of the overall production.
Most impressive was the resilience and professionalism demonstrated by both cast and creative team. To pivot from one Shakespeare, play to another is significant and within such a limited timeframe requires extraordinary adaptability, trust, and leadership. Olivia Jane Parker deserves considerable recognition for steering the company through that process with confidence and imagination.
This production of The Taming of the Shrew was ambitious, energetic, generous, and highly engaging theatre-making. It demonstrated how Shakespeare can continue to evolve when artists approach the work with courage, creativity, and a willingness to re-examine familiar texts through contemporary perspectives.
There is every hope that the posters displayed around the set during this performance are hinting at productions such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, The Tempest, and King John and find their way onto the company’s future season lists in the years ahead.
Great job Olivia and team!
Photo credit: Maggie Morris, The Multimedia Emporium
