RSC: The Taming of the Shrew

In a reimagined 1590, society is a matriarchy.

Baptista Minola is seeking to sell off her son Katherine to the highest bidder. Cue an explosive battle of the sexes in this electrically charged love story. Justin Audibert (Snow in Midsummer, The Jew of Malta) turns Shakespeare's fierce, energetic comedy of gender and materialism on its head to offer a fresh perspective on its portrayal of hierarchy and power.

The usually female roles, such as Katherine and Bianca (Bianco) have now become male characters, and will be played by men, Joseph Arkley and James Cooney, while the usually male roles Petruchio (Petruchia) and Gremio (Gremia) have become female characters and are taken by women, Claire Price and Sophie Stanton. Director Justin Audibert talks about the choices he made and where came from. He says: “I was very inspired by the novel The Power by Naomi Alderman, where women become the dominant gender.”