Word: petruchio
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...cast is competent but uninspired, and clearly a bit confused about how to interpret the play. Kirsten Giroux's Goneril is a shallow, cold bitch-queen; Janet Rodger's Regan a bit more of a bitchy housewife. Henry Woronicz's Edmund swaggers like a comic hero, an illegitimate Petruchio. Harold Levine's Cornwall is a snivelling rat of a villain, more disgusting than threatening...
...confusion is Marre's fault. Her Kate is as easily distracted, inconsistent and uncontrollably violent as a child. Although she begins with a convincing psychological blend of jealousy (towards her sister) and craving (for Baptista's love), Marre fails to weld any emotional links. After her meeting with Petruchio, the first man who has ever silenced her--he answers her rails with songs and her frowns with eloquence--she is completely unimpressed. And when, after their hasty wedding, Petruchio determines to go home to the country, either with or without her, Marre vacillates too thoughtlessly between yielding and asserting...
...itself off, relatively unharmed. One reason for this is the broad comic talents of three of the actors. John Bacquie intelligently plays Gremio, Bianca's overaged suitor. Richard Price (as Lucentio's impersonating servant Tranio) effortlessly outwits better men. And John Cooper turns in a commanding performance as Grumio, Petruchio's spluttering servant. His attempt to unpeel layers and layers of clothing while telling the story of Petruchio's and Kate's trek through the snow, practically steals the production...
...other reason for this recovery lies in Epstein's Petruchio. The sheer power of his voice manages to contain all of the potentially explosive elements in the play. Epstein, who appears to know how every line of his part has ever been read, is as challenging, excited, scheming, pig-headed, ironic, reflective and ultimately loving as he demands his Kate...
Still, even Epstein seems to struggle a bit with the burden; his presence seems too large for the Winthrop House stage. By matching every speech with a particular movement, Epstein's Petruchio is a hint too self-assured and a touch too calculated. He seems to know how this comedy will end from the start...