Taming of the Shrew – the stunning Bolshoi Ballet live show from Moscow, screened in our local cinema. This live screening is a fantastic scheme, now growing in popularity throughout the UK as you get a chance to see First Class performances at a fraction of the cost.
We have seen several versions of this play (see previous reviews) but never a ballet performance so we were not sure what to expect. We were not disappointed. It was an exciting performance throughout with superb characterisation by the individual dancers, all of this to well-known music by Shostakovich.
Forget traditional image of Bolshoi tutus, this was minimal modern clothing that allowed dancers to show how athletic they are. The love-hate tension between Katharina and Petruchio was electric, whether they were fighting to be in control or passionately in love. There was an interesting suggestion of them finally making love under a very large sheet with their manservant coyly shielding them from the audience!
This was a beautiful performance and certainly one of the best interpretations of this complex story of being seen to “play the game” expected by society.
