Kent-Drury
English 312 "In a modern production of Taming of the Shrew,what would still work and what wouldn't?"
 

1. Kate would be the heroine instead of a shrew.  It would still work because of traditional views many people have about marriage.  I don't really like how she decided to go along with her husband.  I think it would be better to make her wink at the end obvious so we know that she just goes along with him.
2. I wouldn't even consider doing it.  The taming of a woman doesn't go well with today's society.
3. I do not believe that anything needs to be cut...but I believe the violence might be calmed down a little.
4. I would portray Katherine as a woman suffering through the aftermath of a bitter divorce.  Bianca would be her daughter instead of her sister.  The suitors would be chastised and chased by Katherine because of her bitterness toward her ex-husband had spread to all me.  The rapid fire dialogue between Katherine and Petrucchio and the violence should be kept.
5. I would change the location to a major U.S. city and modernize the costumes.  I would incorporate some of the slapstick elements used in the Commedia dell'Arte version.  The character impersonations could use masks like those in Mission Impossible.
6. I would make it more modern.  I would get rid of Shakespeare's language.  The basic plot would still work.  You could have one unruly daughter and one pleasant one, but I can't see the father not letting the younger one get married until the older one does.  Now people get married to whom and when they want. The younger sister would have to refuse to get married in sympathy.
7. I would update the play to modern times and make Katherine and her suitor lesbians.  This would change the theme from men doing something to women.  Some of the innuendo would have to be different.  It might not appeal to mainstream audiences, but neither do most Shakespeare adaptations.
8. I would set it in the modern day, like they did with Romeo and Juliet.  You can't stray too far from the original wording, though...To make it more entertaining you must add more physical comedy.  The movie "Ten Things I Hate About You" was too different.
9. The main thing that tames Kate would be love, not deprivation of food and water.  Women just aren't that obedient to their husbands anymore.  Also now the woman could not be forced to marry without her consent, so the taming would have to be done during the courting or before in order to get the girl.  The man, unlike Petrucchio, would not have complete control over the woman.  He would not have the power to deny her food in order to get her to be nicer.
10. The order of marriage.  Daughters are not told, based upon their age, which is to marry first. Also, the forcible marriage would have to be altered...If this were to be included in today's movies, it would enrage the viewers.
11. In modern times the father wouldn't be able to auction off their daughters to the highest bidder unless it was done in the black market, so I would add a black market scene.  The arranged marriage would have to go because there are none today.  What would still work is the male's dominance of the female.  I would keep that part.
12. I would use a very upbeat cast.  The audience today would expect to be shocked by the bold arrogance of Kate's suitor.  Instead of having a young strong husband for Kate, I would use an older man, set in his ways, and perhaps reverse the action of the play to where the old man is seen as the shrew and Kate sets out to set him straight.  I was offended by this type of treatment of women.
13. Grumio and Gremio's names are too similar.  I'd also direct Kate's actress to be less "growly"...just because she's opinionated and speaks her mind doesn't mean she has to be a roaring crazy-woman.
14. I'd change the marriage plan to a dating plan.  Fathers rarely control marriage today, but they do still have control over their daughters' dating habits.
15. I would move the play to the 19th century, like A Midsummer's Night Dream.
16. I would update the scenery, but I wouldn't get "famous" actors and actresses to play the parts.  I would get actors who can perform well and really "know" Shakespeare.
17. I would have the sisters be friendly to each other or perhaps be friends.  That way their fathers wouldn't be so overbearing.  I'd make the suitors of Bianca not so ugly.
18. The following would still work in a modern production:  the struggle to see who has more authority in the relationship between man and wife; men comparing  how obedient their wives are; old men chasing younger women.  The following would not work:  fathers having so much control; fathers giving sons-in-law dowries; someone dressing up and pretending to be someone else (stalking); Petrucchio starving Kate.  Women would be okay with the fact that they might not get married.
19. I would play up the taming and tone down the acquiring. Shakespeare should have called this play "Acquiring a Shrew."