Golden Globe Theatre, London Taming of the Shrew June 2024
Opening night of “Taming of the Shrew” attributed to the Shakespeare.
Erstwhile parading along the Thames with my friend on my recent visit to London, found that the much sought-after Golden Globe Theatre was in operation. Indeed, showing “Taming of the Shrew” that very evening. Opening night, no less!
I found the standing audience to be novel for a play. I’ve not seen that in any other theatre; perhaps they are more common in Britain?
In any case, I had a seat near the front of column H, just behind the standers, On the “soft English oak” bench. Cushions were extra and I wasn’t up for yet another 5£ after the 75£ for my seat.
Viewers on their feet did add a much more dynamic feel to the level of audience engagement. It felt as though anything could happen, really.
On the outset of the play, the actors were on stage, introducing people and declaiming and whatnot.
They were interrupted by an audience member who was drunken, loud, and disorderly despite the early hour of the evening.
Those on stage stared at him, willing him to shut up.
This person messily made his way across the audience, and spilled his drink on someone. Requested towels … something to mop up. Ended up with someone’s jumper. Perhaps to clean it? As he went up the stairs to the stage.
The someone hollered “Give me my jumper!” and came up to grab her jumper back. And then threw her drink in his already reddened face.
And, do you know, he called her a Shrew. Completely unjustified given the circumstances. Yet the word was spoken. A Cue, as it were.
A volunteer was then called for (I don’t Recall why), and the person who’d just gotten their jumper back volunteered, was chosen, and came up on stage. A name was requested and given by this Bonny strong one, yet she was summarily grabbed and bopped on the head and manhandled backstage.
This blending of audience and players was brilliant and such fun.
Now. The drunken man was caged, and let in and out, depending on the scene. There were some body puppets — very interesting faces with mouth moving from the players hand, as if being in a pocket.
The person on the right in black, had the best mannerisms with that head. Well-integrated and weirdly believable, given what we were looking at.
It was hilarious, especially when the two of them were walking together with a Hup. My god.
There were also some other marionette puppets, occasionally in place of the person moving them around.
Why?
And why the enormous stage set teddy bear?
Why add in these … seemingly extraneous elements that appear to have no direct purpose?
Well. Let us take a moment and consider what the theme of the play is.
Use of the puppets was more frequent at the outset. As we get closer to the point of the play, where this man is showing more and more “control” over this woman, who he denigrates and disrespects to move her to do his will…we see less of the puppets.
In other words, the closer we get to the seriously problematic content of “man tames woman — this makes him Man”, the less we see of the “play” things. The puppets.
[Is this a lesson anyone wants in this age? I mean evolved humans who value persons. No. No, it is not.]
The puppets bring levity, humor to help alleviate the heaviness of the seriously problematic content in this play.
In fact, I hesitated to see it because of its theme and purpose, unrelenting “man conquers woman.” Whatever this means actually. Breaking someone’s Spirit? and this should be OK?
The cast is marvelous
This man is, appropriately for the play, convincingly harsh and a complete asshole.
Kate is headstrong in the best way and it is crushing to the soul to hear her last speech at the end, Saying how she should worship this man.
The speech was so impassioned and heartfelt that I was just shaking my head no, no no.
Fuck no.
Absolutely gloriously done.
