“Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What,
shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I
knew not what to take and what to leave, ha?”

WORKSHOP 1 – 14th April

First readthrough and discussions.

Topics explored included:

 
Kate and Pertruchio
The Sly scenes
Tranio as the lead
The sex in 2:1
Forms of Comedy in the play
Is it a love story?
Money, money, money
Is there a better way to tame a shrew?
Characters as characters – who’s pretending?
Father figures
Kate’s final speech
WTF corner

WORKSHOP 2 – 28th April

Masterclass: Comic stage violence – Matt Gardner

Teaching or refreshing slaps, kicks, knees, punches, stamps and head-butts and then testing them against the play. Is a kick to the groin funny in itself? Is there a way to sell violence for laughter? Is bigger or smaller better?

“She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house,
My household stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything.
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.”