The Taming of the Shrew

From the Royal Shakespeare Company a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's controversial comedy of the war between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Taming of the Shrew in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actress - Gregory Doran, Phyllida Lloyd and Michelle Gomez  providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed.

Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare s works for the twenty-first century.

Introduction.- About the Text.- Key Facts.- The Taming of the Shrew.- Textual Notes.- Additional Sly Scenes and Kate's Submission Speech from The Taming of a Shrew (1594).- Scene-by-scene Analysis.- The Taming of the Shrew in Performance: the RSC and Beyond.- Four Centuries of The Shrew: An Overview.- At the RSC.- The Director's Cut: interviews with Gregory Doran and Phyllida Lloyd.- Playing Kate: An Interview with Michelle Gomez.- Shakespeare's Career in the Theatre.- Shakespeare's Works: a Chronology.- Further Reading and Viewing.- References.- Acknowledgements and Picture Credits.