Taming of the Shrew: in present day costumes, the Kanata production becomes a tale of wife abuse rather than a romantic comedy
It is just possible to swallow the theme of a husband having dominion over his submissive wife when William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is presented as a period piece. Even then, it frequently raises the hackles of contemporary audiences. When it is delivered in near-present-day costume, the director leading with his chin and the outdated concept is much more difficult to accept. Through this lens, Shrew becomes more of a tale of wife abuse than a romantic comedy.
In the Kanata Theatre production, director Jim Holmes uses such costumes as an ABBA jumpsuit to lighten the mood and emphasize the comedy aspect. This works to a degree, but is hard to justify dramatically. Even more of an effect for its own sake is a Mexican dance and multi-coloured skirts as part of a wedding celebration. (All that just to throw sombreros over an Italian fountain?)