‘Taming of the Shrew’ opens at Dover Little Theatre
Director Alexander Oleksij believes that there is not wrong way to do Shakespeare. The Bard’s works lend themselves to a variety of treatments in almost any setting.
So when Oleksij was tapped to direct “The Taming of the Shrew” at Dover Little Theatre, he knew he could have staged a physical farce in which the title character, the stubborn Katherina, is browbeaten by her husband of convenience, Petruchio.
“I didn’t want to go that way,” said Oleksij, a Nutley resident. “Kate (as Katherina is also called) is not a nice person. She screams and throws things. But she does that because she’s been ignored. No one has paid attention to her.”
The results of Oleksij’s efforts with his cast will be on view at Dover Little Theatre starting tonight and continuing through Saturday, October 17.
“Taming of the Shrew” is a story that has been adapted to forms as different as the Cole Porter musical “Kiss Me Kate” and the teen comedy “10 Things I Hate About You.”
The Dover production stars Will K. Carey of Bloomfield as Petruchio and Lizzie Engelberth of Denville as Kate. Both performers agree with Oleksij that “Taming of the Shrew” does not necessarily deserve its reputation as a misogynistic work.
Engelberth says that much of Kate’s problem comes from the competition with her younger, sweeter-natured sister Bianca (played by Anna Lovallo of Newfoundland), who has a number of suitors and is clearly the favorite of their father.
“Kate behaves badly because she says what she thinks,” Engelberth says. “She doesn’t know how to play the game. She doesn’t manipulate people to get what she wants; she just hits them over the head.”
In the play, Petruchio is initially persuaded to marry Kate so that his friend may court Bianca. However, Engelberth feels that, as the story progress, he truly comes to love Kate, for all her faults.
Engelberth also compares the Kate of “Taming of the Shrew” to another strong-willed Kate – Katherine Hepburn.
“This is like a 1940s romantic comedy,” she says. “Kate Hepburn, at the end, may be someone else’s wife but she’s still Kate Hepburn. She’s still her own person. I see (‘Taming of the Shrew’) as a meeting of equals.”
For his part, Carey feels that Petruchio is not forcing Kate into submission so much as he is showing her how badly she acts.
“This is a play about a woman who’s socially inept,” says Carey. “She’s cruel and mean, and she’s jealous of her sister’s ease at playing the social game.”
“When Petruchio meets Kate, it may not be love at first sight, but it’s definitely lust at first sight,” Carey says. “Her spirit is strong, but so is his. They’re perfect for each other.”
“Petruchio sees Kate as an attractive, intelligent, vibrant woman,” Oleksij says. “In their scenes together, he shows her how she looks to the rest of the world.”
For audiences and critics, one of the sticking points of “Taming of the Shrew” is the final scene, in which Kate delivers a speech on wifely submission. The way the scene is sometimes played, Kate seems unsettlingly meek.
Oleksij acknowledges the difficulty of the situation. “It’s a huge challenge,” he says. “I don’t think Kate is being submissive in that scene. She’s playing a game with Petruchio. They may be the happiest couple in Shakespeare because they’re equals.”
The actors and Oleksij hope that audiences will not be scared off by the fact that they are doing Shakespeare. “People who wouldn’t normally see Shakespeare should come and see this,” says Engelberth. “They’ll be surprised how much they understand.”
“This is Shakespeare for people who don’t like Shakespeare,” says Carey. “It’s relatable, funny, and physical. If you’re going to see Shakespeare, it should be this one.”
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
WHEN: Through Oct. 17. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (plus Thursday, Oct. 15); 2 p.m. Sundays.
WHERE: Dover Little Theatre,
69 Elliott St., Dover
TICKETS: $17. Discount for groups of 10 or more
INFO: 973-328-9202 or
www.doverlittletheatre.org