“UKTT’s production was stunning theatre and ranks as the most enjoyable and instantly accessible evening of Shakespeare I have ever enjoyed.”
“Shakespeare under the stars on a little desert island. The day started out beautiful, sunny. The weather in Bahrain is pretty much predictable and then the winds came in. The UKTT cast barely noticed and if they did it was in concern for the audience - the actors would not be blown off the stage, the show must go on is the motto when dealing with pros. In the end we rounded up about two hundred blankets, which members of the UKTT helped us distribute. What a sight to behold, the audience cosy under their blankets, with smiles on their faces. An upbeat and wonderful performance of The Taming of the Shrew was in progress. Yes, audience was blown away.”
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“Wonderful! I laughed until tears fell. Brilliant - one of the best productions I’ve ever seen.”
“What a memorable evening! I loved the show and the costumes were stunning. When can I see UKTT perform again?”
“Not only was it energising for me to see such an energetic and fun production of Taming of the Shrew, it was exciting to see the kids making connections between what they do in class, and what they were seeing on stage. Taming of the Shrew expanded my students’ awareness of what theatre, and Shakespeare can be. It was a fun, energetic and sophisticated performance.UKTT demonstrated the professionalism and punch of a true troupe of travelling players! The energy and enthusiasm of the actors on stage was reinforced the next day when cast members visited our school to discuss the play and the realities of how theatre works.”
“The press reviews are well deserved praise! We’ve had very good verbal feedback from audience members too. Sensational performances - Thanks UKTT’
“The UKTT’s production of Taming of the Shrew was bright, innovative and funny, a real breath of fresh air to Shakespeare. The quality of acting was superb, as was the design concept and direction. I look forward to seeing more of the company in the near future.”
“So many companies are so in thrall of William Shakespeare’s reputation as the greatest playwright in the world ever that they seem to regard it as heresy to do anything new or different with his work - not so UK Touring Theatre. While there can be no doubt that UKTT have the utmost respect for Shakespeare, their performance of The Taming of the Shrew at Great Bardfield’s High Barn showed a welcome playfulness and invention that accentuated and complemented the many splendid elements of this fabulous play.
Throughout, there was a beautiful synthesis of the contemporary and the period including Tommy Cooper references, a big band soundtrack and magnificent Restoration-era costumes. They even managed an updated version of the play within a play idea so beloved of Shakespeare (involving actors trapped on the M25) that worked an absolute treat. While all of these touches were tremendously successful they never tried to upstage Shakespeare’s own words, which remained the heart beat of the production. Although director Dominic Gray’s production paid homage to screwball comedies like {[Pillow Talk]} and {[Adam’s Rib]} he did not achieve laughs at the expense of character or the play’s complexities. Libby Machin was a splendid Katherine, all fire and brimstone to begin with, but then exposing a vulnerability that ensured she did not drift into caricature. Justin Deaville was not afraid to explore the darker side of Petruchio, especially during his early scenes with Katherine in which his bullying bordered on physical assault. The fact that at times she seemed to quite enjoy this torment made it uncomfortably compelling viewing. All the supporting cast turned in wonderful performances, but mention must go to Dean Verbeck who MCed the evening as well as taking on a handful of other roles, with hilarious consequences each time. This was stunning theatre and ranks as the most enjoyable and instantly accessible evening of Shakespeare I have ever enjoyed.”
For more details on UKTT please E-mail info@uktt.net
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