Good Farce

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 382, 16 June 1928, Page 24

Good Farce

Shakespeare with the Harry Tate Touch

‘TAMING OF THE SHREW” IN MODERN CLOTHES

Tlie present London craze for presenting Shakespeare in modern dress drew this notice from a London critic. The Shakespeare-Ayliff farce, “The Taming of the Shrew,” w'as presented at the Court Theatre in modern dress by the Birmingham Repertory Company.

Indeed, Mr. H. K. Ayliff, the producer, had almost as much to do with it as the Bard. The result may not be good Shakespeare, but it is a rattling good farce —at times even pantomime. Christopher Sly, the drunken tinker, Is thrown out of the Swan Inn, battered bowler hat and all. He witnesses the “play within a play” (done by a touring company of the Birmingham Repertory Players) from the stage box, with a whisky bottle by his side.

The wedding scene was a brilliant piece of production. Petruchio arrived in an old pair of riding breeches, torn morning coat, one hunting boot and one Oxford sboe, and a red handkerchief around his neck. After a Press photographer, complete with magnesium apparatus, had snapped the unusual pair (what a scoop for his paper!) the bridegroom dragged his bride through the auditorium, while swashbuckling Grumio drew a revolver —and kept the crowd at bay. The “sun and moon” scene takes place in a motor-car! Poor Vincentio, having been knocked down by the car, is given “a lift” to Padua. It was as ridiculous as Harry Tate. After this, the final humiliation of poor “modern” Kate lost its point. The acting was concise and pointed in a hard modern way. Scott Sunderland as Petruchio had all that gallant’s bravura even in his grey suitings. Ralph Richardson’s, Tranio (a chauffeur) was perfect comedy acting, and excellent character studies came from Brasilia Wills (as a female Curtis) and Wallace Evennett as Grumio. The Kat hei'JVia of Eileen Beklon was somewhat colourless. It could hardly have been otherwise in this total eclipse of modern independent woman.

This clever production should be ) seen to be believed —and enjoyed.