The Taming of the Shrew

The success of a production of "Shrew" depends on the actors playing the shrew, Kate, and the "shrew tamer," Petruchio. Happily, Frances Barber's Kate is terrifyingly shrill early in the play; she transforms her voice to that of a rich and gentle maiden by the comedy's end. Likewise, Roger Allam's voice communicates Petruchio's pride and matching emotional transformations throughout the play. The madcap interactions and resulting humor among all the character flow, as well. Though there are more than a dozen characters, each voice is distinct and clear. The one drawback in the production is its richness; at times, there are such rich accents and so much background noise that it's hard to tell what is being said. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

This full-text CBC version of shrewish Kate's harsh wooing and winning does not bother to list the cast, an indication of its workmanlike, uninspired quality. But the actors, while sometimes "stagy," are at least professional, and Petruchio's relish in his role brings fun to what sometimes plods. Speeches reverberate oddly at times, and the production's "original orchestration"--an anemic flute and toy-like strings--punctuates scenes but adds little else. Caveat auditor: It can be tough to know who is speaking in this tale of tangled identities, and the language is dense with puns, double entrendres, and jargon. For full understanding, the Shakespeare-challenged may need to follow along with an annotated text. W.M. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine