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THE UNTAMED SHREW

 

after William Shakespeare
script by Leta Popescu from the adaptation by Maria Manolescu

translation of Shakeaspeare's text into Romanian by Violeta Popa




director: Leta Popescu
set and costume design: Bogdan Spătaru
music: Radu Dogaru
choreographer: Andrea Gavriliu
assistant director and video editor: Irina Caraulă
assistent choreographer: Ioana Moldovan
lighting design: Jenel Moldovan


Cast:
Ruxandra - the director of the show: Diana Buluga
Ana - the author of the adaptation: Sânziana Tarța
Sergiu - a spectator: Adrian Cucu
Virginia - a spectator: Irina Wintze
Geta - the usher: Patricia Brad
Vică - the stage manager: Silvius Iorga
Miha - the prompter: Irina Barbir


Andrei - the famous actor playing BAPTISTA: Radu Lărgeanu
Mihai - the actor playing PETRUCHIO: Cosmin Stănilă
Irina - the actress playing KATHERINA: Cecilia Lucanu-Donat
Dragoș - the actor playing HORTENSIO: Radu Dogaru
Alina - the actress playing BIANCA: Alexandra Tarce
Iulia - the actress playing CRISTINA: Diana-Ioana Licu


stage manager: Răzvan Pojonie
lighting technician: Andrei Mitran
sound technician: Vlad Negrea
video technician: Vasile Crăciun
prompter: Irina Barbir

Upon hearing the phrase “The Taming of the Shrew”, many of us probably think of the crazy love story between Petruccio and Caterina, the well-known couple from William Shakespeare’s work: Caterine is a woman whom nobody is courting, because she has a volcanic temperament and a penchant for loud criticism. Petruccio is a man who, desiring the girl’s wealth, is willing to get her by any means necessary. As the story unfolds, their dynamic changes, and – in the idyllic version of the text – they become a solid couple. The question is: Can we tell a 17th century love story between a man and a woman today, in 2023? Can we tell it in the same manner? Seeking answers to these questions, our show is a battleground between men and women, between classical and contemporary theatre, between conservative and progressive ideas, while never losing sight of Shakespeare’s story. Based on the adaptation by the contemporary author Maria Manolescu, the director Leta Popescu writes an original screenplay and produces a play within a play, presenting the multiple layers of male-female dynamics.
 


 
“I took advantage of Shakespeare’s own format of choice from the original version, namely a play within a play. The prologue provided by the author tells us that Caterina and Petruccio’s story is being performed in front of an audience who are unfamiliar with the theatre and whose reactions are therefore “untamed”. This frame means that our show also has multiple layers, offering more – I hope – than a common reading of the play. The spectators can watch ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ in two versions, which give contradictory answers to the question: is “taming” a seduction ritual while pursuing a woman or does it simply imply “brutalizing”, “dehumanizing” the individual?
Personally, I cannot choose one answer. Not because I am an indecisive person, on the contrary. I am very keen on looking at various modes of reading and interpretations which exist today, on comparing and contrasting them. This can only produce an explosion of ideas, which fascinates me as a director. I’d rather open up the debate and keep thinking about who must be tamed by whom: The woman? The man? The public? The theatre maker? In the end, there is also a clearer commentary on my part. But I won’t reveal it; I invite you all to discover it during the show.”
 
Leta Popescu


Regizoarea Leta POPESCU este nominalizătă la Premiile Radio România Cultural, categoria Teatru, pentru cristalizarea programului regizoral de teatru popular, concretizat în 2023 prin producția Teatrului Național din Cluj-Napoca, Scorpia neîmblânzită după William Shakespeare.


 


Opening date: Wednesday, March 8 2023

Main stage
14+
1 h 55 min.
 

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