It’s always a magical moment when the curtain rises on a new production. From elaborate, descriptive settings to bare-bones arrangements of platforms or fabric panels fluttering in the breeze, the audience may find a portent of what is to come. That’s exactly what happens in this zany new production of ‘Taming of the Shrew’. The set by Narelle Sissons is cock-eyed, and so is the production. Wonderfully so!

Directed by Drew Barr, this is not exactly a production for Shakespearean scholars who wish to analyze the whys and wherefores, but rather a modern-day interpretation of Shakespeare meets The Three Stooges, or scholarship vs. slapstick, or just plain ‘huh?’ (If you blink, you’re sure to miss something.)

This version, while using the Italian names for the characters, is clearly set in Eccentricity, which is near Eclectica, just down the road a piece from Madcap Mayhem. It is probably unlike any other version you’ve ever seen, but regardless of how many times you may have seen it previously, you should add this version to your list. Just be prepared to laugh. A lot.

Andrew May as Petruchio and Laura Perotta as Katherina are exceedingly believable in their roles; well-matched in their fiery bickering and toe-to-toe slugfests. As for the rest of the players, the lineup reads like a ‘who’s who in the Cleveland acting community’.

Dudley Swetland was Baptista (of Padua), father of two daughters, Kate and the younger Bianca, quietly played by Derdriu Ring. While Kate has no suitors, Bianca has two: the more mature Wayne S. Turney as Gremio, and the Hortensio of Lynn Robert Berg. Also in love with Bianca. is Lucentio of Pisa (Scott Plate). Mark Alan Gordon was Vincentio, Lucentio’s father. Ronald Thomas Wilson did double-duty: as the Tailor and, also the fight director, no small task in this production.

M. A. Taylor as Grumio must have been wearing a layer of padding under his costume, or else must be entirely black-and-blue, after two-and-a-half hours of being whacked, punched, pushed over and tripped. Perhaps influenced by The Three Stooges, this is a very physical Shrew, with an abundance of running hither and thither, up and down, around, and even in one scene, riding a bicycle around the set. The timing involved in all of this mayhem was split-second and marvelous!

The main set piece is a huge oblong box, cutaway at the front, so the audience can more readily see inside, divided into four rooms, and parked on a mobile trolley with the stage-left end considerably higher than the other end. A raked stage, to be sure, but in a direction the audience doesn’t usually get to see. The four rooms allow for a good bit of chasing and running back and forth, with slamming doors and the occasional slipping past an unconnected wall, allowing the chas-ee to arrive at the destination before the chas-er.

On occasion, characters climb up to the ‘rooftop’ of the house or else underneath it, and in one amazing scene, Kate pulls the entire contraption across the stage, exposing the fourth room, previously hidden. She must have had help, but if so, it was unseen. The openness of the set enabled the occasional moon—or sun—or dress racks to be illuminated, as well. The lighting of Rick Martin was fabulous and all encompassing—with lights above, below, behind and in front of the ‘house’. Stan Kozak was in charge of sound, and he had his hands full, too, what with various sound effects, and occasional bits of music to accompany a particular bit of action.

Contrived by Kim Krumm Sorenson, costuming was a puzzle. Some of the men (mostly the older ones) wore identical costumes, while Mr. May wore his own jeans and t-shirt. Ms. Perotta’s clothing ranged from a strategically wrapped sheet to a gorgeous wedding gown. Her costume for the final scene was straight out of the 1950s—an excessively lady-like full-skirted shirtwaist (complete with crinolines), white heels, gloves (!) and a red hat.

Taming of the Shrew runs in repertory until August 21. It will be joined by The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) which opens on July 30 at the Ohio Theatre of Playhouse Square Center. Call 241-6000 or visit http://www.greatlakestheater.org from Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriter@core.com (:divend:)