The Taming of the Shrew St Kilda Botanic Gardens (until Dec 22)
By Sam The Review Guy
First and foremost this is not a play about trimming.
Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve never seen The Taming of the Shrew. I’m a terrible middle-class well-educated theatre-loving homo for saying that, but it’s true and I apologise. Holy yeezus though, if you want to be introduced to one of Willy S’ lesser-known* shows, this is the way to do it. Here are three reasons why you need to clear time in your nasty December calendar and see Melb Shakespeare Co. do their thang:
- St Kilda Botanic Gardens = not gross (and low key beautiful: aka I’ve never been here before as I’m not in my 30s w/ 2x kids; nor do I shoot up)
- Cast = nek lev #SHOUTOUT to Emma Austin who made me laugh so hard I actually needed to change underpants, Emma Jevons who is the KWEEN of throwing herself across the stage, but my heart belongs to John Vizcay-Wilson because FCK.
- Costumes = slightly Hanging Rock / haunted ghost nighties vibes thus clearly recycled, therefore ethical so all the things you should care about.
TL;DR version is that theatre did was it’s supposed to do. It made me laugh, it made me feel something, and thank you JVW it yes made me sweaty.
*AKA not R&J, or Macbeth, or probably the one She’s The Man is based off (gotcha, I know it’s Twelfth Night… only because I’ve had to wear heinous yellow stockings TWICE in my life)
