A night out in nature with a classic comedy.
Under a fading sky at the Rexville Blackrock Amphitheater in Mount Vernon, Shakespeare Northwest kicked off its summer debut last night with their production of The Taming of the Shrew. Directed by Lydia Nelson and Kat Abdallah, this show is a campy, fun piece of community theatre.
The Taming of the Shrew, performed in a traditional sense, can present a problematic and uncomfortable show. The fiery-tongued Katherine (Haylie Conchelos) is forced to marry rude Petruchio (Derick Dong), while her fair sister Bianca (Ashleigh Nelson) is courted by an assembly of suitors. As their unwitting marriage ensues, Petruchio attempts to “tame” his “shrew” and make Katherine an obedient wife through abusive trickery. Thankfully, Shakespeare Northwest takes a more modern, amusing approach. The director’s note states that “EVERYONE suffers under patriarchy,” and they wanted to “protect these characters.” In this production, The Taming of the Shrew is a TV show watched by Christiana Sly (Maia Newell-Large), who makes drunk remarks that keep the audience chuckling. With this second layer of perspective, the show’s tongue is even further in its cheek, and we can witness the drama as it meant to be: heartful and silly.
The cast hosted several stand-out actors. The brash Gremio (Carolyn Travis) gives us entertaining physical comedy and confident acting, and Trania (Hannah Cafarello) is sharp, witty, and forceful. Though Petruchio may have been a bit flat of speech, his Katherine had the spite to breathe life into their quarrelsome yet bantering relationship. Their sardonic back-and-forth requires effort on both sides to make their romance feel genuine, and this was sometimes, though not always, achieved.
There is something fresh and forgiving about outdoor theatres. Encircled by woods and a mossy cliff, this tucked-away venue could be straight out of Midsummer Night’s Dream. An intimate, charming setting almost always serves best for Shakespeare’s shows, and a night out in nature makes it extra enjoyable. One drawback of outdoor venues: projection. Though most actors did well to make themselves heard, ears less youthful than mine may have struggled to hear some of the quieter cast members.
Overall, it was a cute performance with bawdy comedy and good old-fashioned wooing. One note: bring a lawn chair! You’ll be much more comfortable. And if you want to support local community theatre, come on over to Mt. Vernon.
Stay tuned for my review of The Tempest tomorrow!
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare Northwest Association, Rexville-Blackrock Amphitheater, 19299 Blackwell Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. Various dates July 14 – August 11th, 7pm or Sun 4pm. Free parking on lawn available.
Tickets: https://shakesnw.org/calendar