I'm almost certain that there is an old thread for this play somewhere, but I can't find it so I'm starting a new one.

On Thursday I saw the final Stratford performance of The Taming of the Shrew, which is going to transfer to Newcastle and later on to London. My question is: why? I can only assume that it's because the powers that be consider Michelle Gomez to be a bankable star, which might well be the case, for it certainly isn't on artistic merit that this one is transferring.

Not that it's a total disaster, I might go as far as awarding it 2 stars (barely), but it was one of those evenings when I intensely pitied the unfortunate cast that had to perform it. I didn't go in expecting subtlety, but even so it's a remarkably crude production. Conall Morrison didn't by any chance happen to make his name working in panto, did he?

I was surprised that Michelle Gomez' voice lasted the whole evening considering the amount of shrieking that she had to do, poor woman, and at 3 hours 20 minutes it felt like a very, VERY long evening.

//Jenny

I really liked it and know other people did too. I agree that it's hardly subtle but whenever I tried to get tickets for it, I was left with restricted views. Assuming the finance side of things has more to do with it than word of mouth, then factor in Michelle Gomez and then you have your transfer.

Thanks for reporting back from Stratford, Jenny - looking forward to hearing what you think about LLL, since I'm hoping to see that myself (more likely at the Rose than the RSC). I've not seen Hamlet and I suspect I won't get the chance, but I did catch Shrew back in June. I liked it to a certain extent - the fact that the ending enabled her to give him a shove was quite cathartic and I thought the way that the abuse was shown to gradually diminish her was well done.

It seems to be a Marmite Shrew. Lots of people hate it, but there's a good few out there willing to say they quite liked it. I myself won't find out until right at the end of the London run. I WIN at ticket buying. XD

The worst Shrew I've seen; I posted earlier about seeing it and then the Dream on the same day. Chalk and cheese.

Okay, I haven't seen this production but - even though I do like Michelle Gomez quite a lot, is she a bankable star??? She's hardly a Patrick Stewart or a Tennant, and this production didn't get the raves that the Tamsin Greig Much Ado did. I think it's a bizarre choice for a transfer, especially as no one really ever goes wild for the play and everyone I know personally (ie in the real world) who's seen the production didn't have much good to say about it...

I've haven't seen any of Conall Morrison's work in the British Theatre but have seen several productions at the Abbey. After a promising career on the Dublin Fringe he came to prominence with a magnificent adaptation of Patrick Kavanagh's Tarry Flynn. It was the talk of Dublin while it ran and had a brief but rapturously received run at the Lyttleton. He repeated the trick the following year with Boucicault's The Colleen Bawn. Since then there has been other good work - there were superb productions of Gary Mitchell's early plays and a definitive A Whistle in the Dark. He also did an interesting Tempest and a superbly operatic production of Marina Carr's Ariel. There was however a seriously dodgy "Bacchae of Baghdad" a the Abbey a year or two ago which was very heavy handed in its Iraq references. It was very disappointing as a more successful Middle Eastern set Antigone he staged at the Project had been excellent. He has a tendency to graft on a concept to work that doesn't need it. Sometimes it works as in an enjoyable all male Importance of Being Earnest but I believe his Dublin set La Traviata for ENO was disastrous. Wasn't his version of Martin Guerre well received?

It is so far the worst Shakespeare production that I've seen this year, but I didn't think it was a total disaster. The lowbrow stuff wasn't to my taste but it sure got laughs from many members of the audience, which is why I gave it 2 stars (with hesitation), as I can appreciate that it did have some qualities that appealed to some members of the audience even though it wasn't to my taste.

Leading Irish directors do not have the same level of experience with Shakespeare as their British counterparts. There is however a growing audience for Shakespeare in Ireland and we have been quite well served over the last few years. A youngish director called Jason Byrne is now staging an annual Shakespeare play at the Abbey. He gave a magnificent Julius Ceasar last year and a modern dress Romeo and Juliet which while far from perfect was a huge hit and brought a much younger audience to the Abbey. The director to really watch though is Selina Cartmell. She's making her RSC debut with Marina Carr's Cordelia Dream at Wiltons Music Hall. Her recent Dublin work is hugely exciting. We are hoping we don't lose her to London like John Crowley.

Why indeed is it being transferred. It seems no time at all since a previous RSC Shrew - coupled with The Tamer Tamed - was in London. In the meantime I have no recollection of any RSC Merchant of Venice or The Tempest or Julius Caesar in recent years. Also what happened to the musical Merry Wives with La Dench which never found it's way to London?

OK then, does this mean that you think that Conall Morrison's Shrew shold be judged with different eyes? From where I was sitting this was pretty poor indeed, whatever perspective you wish to apply.

Absolutely not. The work must stand or fall on its merits or otherwise. I was merely trying to offer some perspective as to why the production was bad. I was also trying to inform you of some emerging Irish directors who may serve Shakespeare better. I am not in any way criticising your opinion or your right to express it.

In that case, you clearly didn't see The Merchant of Venice while you were in Stratford! Almost embarrassing, would have been poor for a sixth form drama production...

RSC Tempest - Patrick Stewart - directed by Rupert Goold - London, Im sure the Merry Wives musical also had a london airing for a limited 2month run last year! (I may be wrong with that though.)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember Merry Wives being panned across the board- Dame Judi came in for particular criticism for her singing.

As for TOTS, I liked the Commedia del'arte idea, and though it was far from the RSC's best work, I wouldn't say it was poor. the only bit I realy didn't like was the induction- when the lights went down and that started, my heart sank, but i did enjoy the bulk of the play, juxtaposing the vicious, even crude behaviour of Petruchio, played to its fullest and nastiest, with the light-hearted playing style.

Yes I did, on Saturday, and though it wasn't great I thought it was fairly OK, an average kind of production.

We obviously have slightly opposing tastes! What did you think of the dancing at the end?

It wasn't Dame Judi's singing , the whole shebang was a mess. Now the Merry Wives at the Globe this season is super. Go see before it finishes.

Dunno. Maybe she specified she wanted a London run before she signed up. Maybe the commercial producers who run the RSC in London decided before the production opened (I think this is possible).

More to the point, how come the director got a second chance after his lamentable Macbeth the previous season ? (and given his history at NT).

Never got to see the Shrew but Merchant was a waste of 3 hrs of my life

Alnoor

I personally really enjoyed Shrew at the Courtyard, wasnt the best thing ive seen this year but i thought they did a pretty good job and created a different take on the play. Hamlet, despite the hype, is a brilliant production of the text in my eyes; one of the best things ive seen at the RSC, including Dorans 'Dream'.

As for Merry Wives the musical, it never played London after Stratford.

I don't suppose it's transferring because it's just been added to the AQA A Level courses by any chance?

It would be nice if companies took more notice of what gets put on the syllabus..or maybe that should be the other way round and the syllabus should take note of what is coming along...too short notice either way I think.

I have not seen this yet but I can tell you now that one inflexible rule of theatre that I have observed is that there has never been a successful production of a comedy that ran more than 3hrs - so they have problems straight away. Any counter-examples anyone ?

This Shrew is anything but a comedy - it is knock about for no reason, very poor stuff and then tragic. I'd better leave it at that or I'll be moderated.

I agree. I found the Propeller production quite hard to watch as it really brought out the abuse aspect. Not a play to laugh over, IMO.