18 May TAMING OF THE SHREW

Vesna Jurca Tadel
14. 03. 2013

An unconventional approach of the young Serbian director Anja Susa (for the first time on Slovenian stages) and overall enjoyable playful male ensemble cast is clear from the moment the red stage curtain opens: facts show that this Shakespeare’s comedy is almost blatantly misogynist, but it also exposes, analyzes, updates and discloses to the extent that it’s assumptions spontaneously appear absurd. But it doesn’t forget the basic humor, which is supported by the inventive actors and directing-dramaturgical interventions (dramaturge Peter Pogorevc) which in the contemporary way illustrate, comment or expose to parody the events on stage.
Playful performance, which in its other elements – particularly music (Laren Polič Zdravič) and costumes (Barbara Stupica) – consistently makes fun of various clichéd pop idealizations of relations between the sexes, is witty and fun, but because of the references which apply to the wider context it is also a very up-to-date and subversive interpretation of the theoretically disputable Shakespeare’s play. If you were Katarina, you might even say that this performance meets the three main goals which are used to attract the audience to LJCT: the “quality comedy” and “classical play,” played by “excellent ensemble with great guests.”