The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)[1].

Shakespeare's play

Believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592, it is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. A much debated play, and adapted in many ways over the years, including numerous operatic and film versions.

Translations into South African languages

Translated the play into Afrikaans as Die Temming van 'n Rissie (lit. "The taming of a chilli") by J. van Elders. The text published by DALRO, 1969.

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Getemde Feeks ("The Tamed Shrew") by an unknown author.

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Vasvat van 'n Feeks (lit. "The disciplining of a vixen") by Nerina Ferreira.

Performance history of the original version in South Africa

The play was first put on in South Africa in the popular Garrick version (see below under Catharine and Petruchio), possibly the first production of a full-length Shakespeare play in South Africa, although the first part of Henry IV had been performed there already in 1801 for the opening of the new venue. This version would be done a few more times.

Below is a list of the productions of the full Shakespeare text (in English and in translation) done in South Africa.

First performed in , ***

1943: Presented in English by the St George's Grammar School, produced by Mary Holder, in the Cathedral Hall.

1956: It was the first play to be produced at what became known as the Maynardville Open-air Theatre, and was produced in English by Cecilia Sonnenberg and René Ahrenson, and directed by Lesley French, with Cecilia Sonnenberg, as Katherina, Leslie French as Grumio and Dick Leftwich as Petruchio.

1964: Produced in Afrikaans as Die Getemde Feeks ("The Tamed Shrew") by a CAPAB touring company. Among the players were Tine Balder, Pieter Bredenkamp, Cynthia Dekker and Limpie Basson.

1981: Produced in English by NAPAC and directed by Philip Grout, taking an off-beat look and setting the play in 1920, starring Patrick Mynhardt as Petruchio, Jill Fenson as Katherina, Cathy Cota as Bianca and Robert Whitehead as Lucentio. Others in the large cast include Arthur Hall, Joey Wishnia, Bella Mariani, Leslie Sterry, Clive Rodel, David Crichton, Iain Winter and Garth Anderson. After the run at the Alhambra Theatre in Durban, the production visited Pietrmaritzburg, Kokstad, Newcastle, and other venues in the province. Designs by British designer Hugh Durrant.

1983: Produced in Afrikaans as Die Vasvat van 'n Feeks by PACT at the State Theatre, Preotira. Directed by William Egan, with Marius Weyers (Christopher Sly/Petruchio), Alida Theron (Waardin), Gerrit Schoonhoven ('n Adellike Heer), Tobie Cronje ('n Lyfkneg/Grumio), Louis van Niekerk (Baptista Minola), Sandra Prinsloo (Katherina), Jana Cilliers (Bianca), David van der Merwe (Gremio), Schalk Schoombie (Hortensio), Paul Luckhoff (Lucentio), Nico Liebenberg (Tranio), Johan Engelbrecht (Biondello), Alwyn Swart (Vincentio), Gerrit Schoonhoven ('n Geleerde), Kobus Kleynhans (1e Jagter/Gabriel), Leonard Moss (2e Jagter/Petrus), Didi Kriel (Nathaniel), Athol Hay (Philippus), Barry French (Joseph), Geoffrey Shute (Niklaas), Ilse Swanepoel (Suiker-sop), Gys de Villiers (Snyer), Jocelyn Broderick (Hoedemaakster), Alida Theron (Weduwee) and Adri van der Merwe (Oppasster). Design by Chris van den Berg.

1984: Produced in English at Maynardville, directed by Brian Kennedy, with Dorothy-Ann Gould, Ian Steadman, Shirley Johnston, David Dennis, and others. Decor and costumes Penny Simpson.

1987: Staged in English by PACT, directed by Terrence Shank, with John Whiteley (Lord & Pedant), Shareen Swart (Lady & A Servant), Guy de Lancey (Lucentio), Graham Hopkins (Tranio), Dale Cutts (Baptista Minola), Jacqui Singer (Katherina), Clare Stopford (Bianca), Neville Thomas (Gremio), Peter Terry (Hortensio), Mark Fleishman (Biondello), James Borthwick (Petruchio), Michael McCabe (Grumio), Aletta Bezuidenhout (Curtis & A Widow), Anthony James (Vincentio & A Taylor), Shireen Hollier (A Servant), Adrian Galley (A Servant), Andrew Donald (A Servant) and Paul Bradshaw (A Servant). Designed by Chris van den Berg.

1996: Produced in English by CAPAB Drama (12 January until 17 February) at Maynardville, directed by Janice Honeyman with Dorothy-Ann Gould, Sean Taylor, Wayne Harrison, Karin van der Laag, Jay Heale, Nicholas Dallas, Mark Hoeben, Keith Grenville, Neels Coetzee, Paul Griffiths, Marguerite Albrecht, Amanda Lane, Jonathan Pienaar, David Crichton, Jeroen Kranenburg, André Roothman, Paul Warwick Griffin, Phillip Boucher, Jay Heale, Nicola Hanekom, Lindsay Redman, Michele Matthysen, Russell Boast and Janis Merand. Design by Peter Cazalet, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell, music by Stefan Lombard. Assistant to the director: Mark Hoeben.

2011: Produced by Artscape at Maynardville, directed by Roy Sargeant, with Adrian Galley (Baptista Minola), Anthea Thompson (Katherina), Grant Swanby (Petruchio), Juliet Jenkin (Grumio), Richard Lothian (Curtis), James MacGregor (Nathaniel), Michael Inglis (Walter), Robyn McHarry (Gabriella), Chi Mhende (Phillipa), Gabriel Hoffman (Joseph), Alexander Tops (Ferdinand), Alex Halligey (Bianca), Mark Hoeben (Gremio), Daniel Barnett (Hortensio), Francis Chouler (Lucentio), Darron Araujo (Tranio), Johan Vermaak (Biondello), Peter Krummeck (Merchant), Jeroen Kranenberg (Vincentio), John Caviggia (The Widow), James MacGregor (Servant) and Dewald van Zyl (Servant).

Adaptations

Among the adaptations performed in South Africa are:

Catharine and Petruchio (Garrick)

This is a reworking of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew by British playwright and actor David Garrick (1717-1779)[2].

Apparently sometimes also written Catherine and Petruchio and Katharine and Petruchio in some versions. Sometimes cited as Katharina en Petruchio in Dutch newspapers in Cape Town.

The play

In this version, Garrick cut the subplot entirely and condensed Shakespeare's play into three acts, changing Katherine's name to Catharine. The shorter three-act version was thus often preferred, because it could be used as part of an evening's programme.

Written in 1754 and first performed at the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane in March 1754, the was first staged at theDrury-Lane, it became the most successful adaptation of a number done over the years, and dominated the stage for almost two centuries. If fact, Shakespeare's original play did not return to the stage in England until 1844 and in the United States in 1887. Garrick's version was still being performed as late as 1879, when Herbert Beerbohm Tree staged it.

Performance history in South Africa

1809: An (all-male) production of the Garrick version (written Katharine and Petruchio, or Katharina en Petruchio in Dutch, in the local newspapers) by the Officers of the British Garrison at the Cape of Good Hope in the African Theatre in February of 1809. This marked the first production of a full-length Shakespeare play in South Africa, although the first part of Henry IV had been performed there already in 1801 for the opening of the new venue. Also done was The Mock Doctor (Molière/Fielding)

1818: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa on 21 November by the Gentlemen Amateurs, with the help of four professional actors from the Theatre Royal, Liverpool (en route to Calcutta), led by Mr Cooke. The accompanying pieces were Crochet Lodge (Hurlstone) and a "Divertissement" called Sandy and Jenny, or Love in the Sack (Griffin)

1824: Performed in English as by the Garrison Players in the African Theatre on the 23rd July, with as afterpieces The Irish Tutor (Glengall) and How to Die for Love! (Von Kotzebue).

1826: Was listed for performance on 20 October, by the Garrison Players, with Blue Devils and A Roland for an Oliver. However, this particular performance did not take place.

1826: Performed in Cape Town by the English Theatricals company (former Garrison Players) in the The African Theatre on the 4th November 1826, with Silvester Daggerwood (Colman Jr.) and A Roland for an Oliver (Morton). This was a benefit performance for Mrs O'Brien and Sgt Corbishley.

1832: Performed as Catherine and Petruchio, or The Taming of the Shrew on 11 August by the All the World's a Stage in the African Theatre, with (Shakespeare) as afterpiece to Kenilworth, or The Days of Queen Bess (Scott).

1834: Performed as Katherine and Petruchio in Cape Town's Garrison Theatre by the "Private Theatricals by the officers of the Garrison" (see the Garrison Players) on 11 July 1834, alongside The Haunted Inn, or How to Lay a Ghost (Peake) and Bombastes Furioso (Rhodes).

Kiss Me, Kate (Cole Porter)

The most famous musical adaptation is Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate (1948).

The original text

Porter wrote the music and lyrics. The book was written by Samuel and Bella Spewack. The musical opened on Broadway at the New Century Theatre, where it ran for nineteen months before transferring to the Shubert Theatre and running for a total of 1,077 performances. Directed by John C. Wilson with choreography by Hanya Holm, it starred Alfred Drake and Patricia Morison.

Performance history in South Africa

The Taming of the Shrew - ballet version (John Cranko)

An adaptation as a ballet by South African born choreographer John Cranko (1969), which played at Staatstheater Stuttgart. Performed by the Stuttgart Ballet, with music by the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, it was directed by Bernard Kontarsky, and starred Richard Cragun and Marcia Haydee.

Performance history in South Africa

The Shrew (Charles Marowitz)

An 1975 adaptation of the Shakespeare text by Charles Marowitz, performed at The Studio in the Sydney Opera House. Refashioned as a gothic tale, the adaptation removed all the comedy, and instead concentrated on examining the themes of sadism and brain washing, with a misogynistic Petruchio raping and beating Katherina and driving her mad. The play divided critics, though many celebrated it as a genuinely original and relevant treatment of a difficult Shakespeare text.