Boasting a starry cast, dazzling choreography, and epic production values, Kiss Me, Kate entertains in lavish style.
With Broadway having already enjoyed two revivals of Cole Porter classic Kiss Me, Kate, renowned revival master Bartlett Sher has crossed the pond, as they say, to London for this decadently splashy affair.
Working with his regular creative team, and, presumably, a massive budget, Sher takes full advantage of the vast stage of the Barbican Theatre.
Michael Yeargen’s sets tower to dizzy heights, the central revolving set incorporating the stage, the star dressing rooms, and the back alley at the theatre where show-within-a-show The Taming of the Shrew the Musical is playing. Enormous as this central set piece may be, the Barbican space is so huge that there is still room to show the “wings” of the theatre, where stage management and waiting actors continue the backstage sense of the show. As the complications of the story unfurl and energy rises exponentially, the set plays its part in the excitement, rotating to allow chases through the “theatre.”
In sharp contrast, the sets for The Taming of the Shrew are oddly childlike, as if drawn by an artist using their left hand.
Costume designer Catherine Zuber reliably works her wardrobe magic, delivering both stylish 1940s day wear and fabulous Elizabethan costumes for The Taming of the Shrew. The Elizabethan costumes are crafted in glossy grayscale with liberal splashes of reds and purples.
As with a good many golden age musicals, tweaks are needed to comply with modern taste. Hilarious though they are, Porter’s lyrics and Sam and Bella Spewack’s book benefit from Sher’s relatively minor updates. When director and star actor Fred Graham as Petrucchio takes Kate over his knee to spank her, the supporting cast and stage manager gasp as one, running on stage to swiftly intervene before he can even start. Supporting this further, Fred later tells the audience that female roles were played by boys in Shakespeare’s time and so the rough housing was not as hard to take. Curiously, despite removing the violence against a woman, there are still two times when leading lady Lilli Vanessi strikes Fred.
Bill’s castmates censor the love song he is penning when he goes to rhyme “Bianca” with the threat “or Pappa spanka.” Finally, unlike the 2019 revival which changed the final song to “I Am Afraid Ashamed That People Are So Simple,” this production retains the original title “I Am Afraid Ashamed That Women Are So Simple” but has Fred take over the final sequence to state that he, as husband, will place his hands under his wife’s foot. This not only corrects the difficulty with the lyrics but makes for a lovely moment of sincerity and character growth for Fred.
Other changes, most likely for expediency include the removal of Fred’s act one ballad “Were Thine that Special Face” and act two duet “From This Moment On” for Lilli and the colonel is not included.
Over above the comedy and romance, the key attraction of Kiss Me, Kate is Porter’s gloriously melodious score. Musical director Stephen Ridley leads an orchestra of 16 musicians in a vibrant performance of the score. Dance arranger Gareth Valentine has contributed new dance breaks for “Cantiamo D’amore” and “Too Darn Hot,” the latter an extraordinary highlight of the evening.
Choreographer Anthony Van Laast makes terrific use of the space and the large cast to present dance on a grand scale.
Appropriately described in the marketing materials as Broadway royalty, Stephanie J. Block is in peak form as Lilli / Kate. Brassy and blustery, Block nails the comedy in both roles. Vocally, Block has the luxury of an agile soprano for numbers like “So in Love” as well as a powerhouse belt for numbers such as “I Hate Men.”
Adrian Dunbar proves a terrific leading man, taking charge as director / producer / actor (and lover) Fred and sings with ready flair. Best of all, Dunbar excels with the comedy, scoring plenty of laughs both for himself and those for whom he plays the straight man.
Firmly established West End star Charlie Stemp is in his element as Bill / Lucentio, flexing his triple threat skills with style. With Stemp in the cast, why would you not add Bill to “Too Darn Hot,” where he dazzles in a dance-off opposite Jack Butterworth as Paul. Stemp also has his own number, breaking out the tap shoes for “Bianca.”
As Lois Lane / Bianca, Georgina Onuorah oozes glamorous appeal, deftly capturing the glowing innocence of a much admired young woman.
Everyone’s favourite characters, the gangsters cum thespians are played in fine style by Hammed Ammashaun and Nigel Lindsay. Although the moment where they shoot the singing bird is cut, they have plenty more laughs to enjoy. Eleven o’clock showstopper “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” increases in delicious increments as the pair is handed hats and then canes, finishing with a full audience sing-a-long of the catchy chorus.
Peter Davison drops in for the thankless role of General Howell, insensitive fiancé of Lilli. An amusing part of his scenes is the fact that Washington is such an easy target for the butt of jokes.
To see golden age musical theatre so expertly and lovingly staged and performed is a joy. Kiss Me, Kate is not to be missed by visitors to London this summer.
Kiss Me, Kate was reviewed 7.30pm Saturday 27 July 2024 at Barbican Theatre, London where it plays until 14 September 2024. For tickets, click here.
Photos: Jonah Persson