The Bard to Grayson to Liz Taylor to Lilli Vanessi

'Kiss Me Kate" cast members, from left, Joel Blum,Mike McGowan , Brendan Averett
‘Kiss Me Kate” cast members, from left, Joel Blum,Mike McGowan , Brendan Averett

 

By Eva Trieger

Eva Trieger
Eva Trieger

SAN DIEGO —  The “play within a play” concept always intrigues me, and this story is a delight, based on the treatment of the 1949 Broadway play which ran for more than 1,000 performances.  The play was further informed by the 1953 film starring Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel, which led to the 1967 play featuring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.  The Old Globe knows how to breathe new life into an older show, and featuring the book by Sam and Bella Spewack, this extravaganza does just that.  The comedy is perfectly paired with an iconic score by Cole Porter.

Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew is the foundation for the piece, and the story revolves around the actors portraying this tale of two strong willed actors in a touring company.  The divorced couple, Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham, rediscover their amorous feelings while portraying older sister Katherine and suitor, Petrucio in the aforementioned production.  Several other characters, not written in by the Bard, include a pair of thugs, Joel Blum (First Man) and Brendan Averett (Second Man).

Darko Tresnjak, director, recent recipient of the Craig Noel Award and an Obie, was welcomed by Barry Edelstein to take the reins for this witty muscial with a foison of humor, twisting plots lines and best of all, choreography.  His previous credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Killer, The Women, Cyrano de Bergerac and Pericles.Tresnjak is the Artistic Director of the Hartford Stage.  He is currently producing Rear Window and Anastasia.  Most recently Tresnjak was awarded the 2014 Tony Award for Best Director of a Muical for a Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.

Tresnjak, a fan of Cole Porter, was drawn to this show for Porter’s mastery of innuendo and playful lyrics.  The music, coupled with Shakespeare’s lines seemed, to the director, a natural fit for a fabulous show.   And teaming up with choreographer, Peggy Hickey,  provided an even more dynamic result.

The choreography is what takes the show from entertaining to Entertainment.  It may be the first time in this reviewer’s experience that one production has encompassed such a vast array of dance styles and each one delivered expertly.  With a highly talented cast, the dance numbers included jazz, tap, salsa, samba,ballet and jitterbug.  Every single song was choreographed to use the space and actors to the best advantage.  James Lane (Paul) and Aurelia Williams (Hattie) are Energizer bunnies and the ensemble is really indefatigable.

Hickey and Darko have worked together, quite successfully, on a number of ventures and they are so successful because both share a mutual respect for the other as an artist, and history demonstrates that as collaborators they are greater than the sum of their parts.

This modernized expression of Shakespeare is a great midsummer’s night dream.  It is rich with puns, double entendres and outright comic malaprops, especially from the gangsters.  As the Bard so eloquently said it:  All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.  And in Kiss Me, Kate, the men and women are very talented players in this play-within-a-play.

For tickets contact the box office 619.23.GLOBE. The show has been extended through August 9, 2015.

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Trieger is a freelance writer who focuses on the arts.  You may comment to her at eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com