Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As we prepare for a summer of classic musical revivals with new productions of Hello, Dolly! And Fiddler On The Roof due to open imminently, another op’nin of another show is first out the gate with Kiss Me, Kate hoping to repeat the overwhelming success of fellow Cole Porter musical Anything Goes on the same stage at the Barbican Theatre. As I prepared to brush up my Shakespeare for the occasion, would this production prove to be a chef’s kiss or a dog's dinner?
First produced on Broadway in 1948 and in the West End in 1951, Kiss Me, Kate has been revived multiple times in the decades since with television and film adaptations also appearing. Based on William Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew, it tells the story of a warring divorced couple as they attempt to star in a musical production of that same Shakespeare play with their own lives and stories drawing parallels to that of the one they were intending to tell. Throw in a secondary love story, changing dynamics between the interwoven relationships and a couple of gangsters for good measure and you’re good to go.
Sam and Bella Spewack’s book is a timeless romp through the world of theatre and life itself, remaining every bit as accessible and captivating now as it would have been when it first premiered more than 75 years ago, An enduring classic, it never veers too heavy on the plot side, opting for familiar strands of plot that can be transformed or resolved at a moment’s notice. With the book filled with brilliantly funny lines and situations that lend themselves naturally to comedy, the whole affair leads to a joyous couple of hours of theatre that had me roaring with laughter with a grin that failed to leave my face throughout.
As fantastic as the original writing is, Bartlett Sher delivers intricate and note-perfect direction, bringing every bit of potential out of the story and situations, and finding new ground to play with in the meantime. Some truly inspired choices lead to riveting scenes which exemplify the very best in theatre in a production that manages to counter the balance of classic and contemporary perfectly.
The biggest opportunity in Sher’s direction comes from the ambitious and awe-inspiring set design, courtesy of Michael Yeargan. The grand space of the Barbican stage is filled with a huge revolve, hosting three different setups – the stage, backstage, and the dressing rooms. This creates opportunities for the direction to really thrive particularly in one speedy sequence in the first act giving a 360 view as we follow the characters around the building in record time.
Cole Porter’s music and lyrics remain as magnificent now as ever before with numbers ‘Another Op’nin, Another Show’, ‘Wunderbar’ and ‘Tom, Dick or Harry’ all providing the unmatched quality you would expect. The musical numbers are brought to life with dance arrangements from Gareth Valentine and choreography from Anthony Van Laast creating a sense of grandeur as the stage bursts with life and the very best theatre has to offer.
Kiss Me, Kate is one of the few shows that boasts not just one showstopper but several in its repertoire. The most obvious one to single out is the slow build-up and finessed act two opener ‘Too Darn Hot’. With comparisons to ‘Anything Goes’ and ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow’ from that other Cole Porter musical, this too brought the house down with an overlong applause that never quite felt worthy of the feat we had just witnessed. Led by Jack Butterworth and Charlie Stemp with a fantastic ensemble cast, everything about these several minutes was the perfect example of why I love musical theatre so much and what it can achieve when it all comes together as seamlessly as this.
Film and TV star Adrian Dunbar makes his musical theatre debut as Fred Graham/Petruchio in a role he delights in… for the most part. A truly gifted actor with a flawless approach to comic timing, he delivers a truly charismatic turn even when his character is unsavory in a remarkable performance. Where his talents dwindle slightly is in his singing ability. While Dunbar has a pleasant voice and can certainly hold a tune, his numbers in the second act reveal the limits to his voice as he struggles to hit notes as effectively as they should. The fact this doesn’t detract from his performance and otherwise capabilities speak volumes for the standard of acting he delivers in this production.
Broadway star Stephanie J. Block makes her long-awaited London stage debut as Lilli Vanessi / Katharine in a standout performance of the night. Her ability to embody the character she is portraying is second to none, delivering a multi-layered performance that manages to be comedic yet with a sense of urgency as she gets to grips with the less-than-ideal circumstances she finds herself in. Block is a wonder in this role and it is a real honour for London audiences to finally get to witness what Broadway audiences have seen themselves for years – that Stephanie J. Block is a true powerhouse performer. With a stunning vocal, she may not sing as much as you would hope from someone of her calibre but every time she opens her mouth, you are guaranteed to be seeing somebody at the top of their craft in a true masterclass performance. It is in her sensational rendition of ‘I Hate Men’ complete with audience participation that you realise just what a true star she is – now that we have her in London after all these years, can we please keep her?
Kiss Me, Kate is a big show and in doing so, it allows for far more characters to step into the limelight and get their own moment to shine. This leads to multiple highlights from every main character. None of this is more apparent than in the scene-stealing turn from double act Hammed Animashaun and Nigel Lindsay as the two gangsters. In a performance that gets bigger, bolder, and stupider as it goes along, they bring some of the biggest laughs with their thankfully never-ending ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’ another fabulous showstopper. Peter Davison and Josie Benson get small but mighty roles as General Harrison Howell and Hattie with the latter showcasing some terrific vocals.
Though criminally underused as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio, Charlie Stemp once again proves why he is one of the West End's brightest stars in a role that plays to his strengths as a dancer in a charismatic performance. Though the cast are all phenomenal in their own right, the standout of the night for me belonged to Georgina Onuorah as Lois Lane/Bianca. Oozing star quality from the offset, Onourah thrills at every turn, despite the relative smallness of her role compared to some others. While the show has multiple showstoppers, it is her big act two solo ‘Always True To You In My Fashion’ that stuck out for me as THE performance of the night. Completely owning the stage, Onourah delivers a playful and precise performance, enrapturing the entire cast and audience as she keeps them all in the palm of her hand. A truly spellbinding performance that left me longing for it to never end… and thankfully it nearly didn't.
While some revivals daren’t stray too far from the original and some completely rip up the rulebook and nearly rewrite the entire show, this production of Kiss Me, Kate gets the balance right as it stays firmly in the middle, and that is key to its success. While retaining the essence of the story, Bartlett Sher has brought something fresh to the story through his fantastic direction. In a production that doesn’t falter, a consistently amazing cast of leads and ensemble makes this show a triumphant success. Setting the (wunder)bar high for the classic revivals to come later this summer, this is one of the must-see musicals of the summer and one that every lover of musical theatre is sure to fall madly in love with.
Kiss Me, Kate plays at the Barbican Theatre until 14th September.
Photos by Johan Persson