Mount Sackville was proud to present an abridged version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew as our 2023/2024 drama production. The play was directed by Ms Lauren Devine who has been involved in acting and directing for over a decade and worked with the dedicated and enthusiastic cast and crew to grasp Shakespeare's message and bring it to life.
This modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic "battle of the sexes" comedy presented us with two feisty and strong-willed protagonists: Katherine (Chloe Kearney returning to Mount Sackville stage after her performance in Guys and Dolls and Macbeth) and Petruchio (Olivia McDonnell performing in another Shakespeare's play after presenting us with the ever-elusive Macduff in last year's production of Macbeth) who wreck havoc on the inhabitants of Padua when plans are set in motion to force them together. While Katherine, the infamous shrew of the tale, is deemed unworthy of marriage, this is not the case for her youngest sister Bianca (Alexandra Devlin also back on Mount Sackville stage) whose suitors Gremio (Nicole Supady) and Lucentio (Lauren McGuirk) eagerly await her hand in marriage. Their father, Baptista (Cordelia Byrne also known for her role of Kevin in Macbeth) decrees that Katherine must be married before Bianca which results in a tale of intrigue, subterfuge and ultimately romance. Is there a man brave enough to tame the unruly Kate? Has she met her match in the tempestous Petruchio?
It was a stage debut for Charlotte Coffey (Widow), Anna Newman (Tranio), Lexi Taram (Biondello), Alicia Chan (Hortensio) and Sarah Shortt (Narrator) and we will be watching this space for their future performances.
As our talented students were telling this romantic comedy, the audience booed, gasped, laughed and clapped alongside our shrew and suitors as we saw the unforlding of the web of relationships in front of us.
The staging, lighting, sound, costumes and hair and make-up were excellent and huge congratulations to our students crew: Alison Hiney, Anna Qui, Iris Kong, Sophie Glynn, Isabelle Kelly, Lucinda Higgins, Sarah Logan, Joanne Oyinlola, Manya Sharma and Elisa Lockwood.
Finally a great gratitude goes to the Production Team - Ms Lauren Devine, Ms Ciara Forristal and Ms Grace Clifford who provided a spectacular entertainment and created an unforgettable experience here on our Mount Sackville stage.
