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Precious is a new-style weepie but one that is much more bracing than depressing
Precious
Theatre
Ian McKellen is captivating throughout. He delights in the play’s gallows humour, yet is also maudlin and poignant
Waiting for Godot
Theatre
Slight quibbles notwithstanding, this will set the West End’s stock riding high
Enron
Utterly, utterly brilliant. You really are in for a treat
Though 'Trilogy' has won rave reviews, I personally found myself exasperated after about an hour
We went on a quiet sunday evening and the food was excellent, but the experience let down by the service and ambiance
London,
Kieron Quirke's rating
Reader rating
Dir: Nick Hutchison.
Cast: Rachael Stirling, Oliver Chris
Description: Shakespeare's 'difficult', comedy of passion and resignation, with Rachael Stirling as Kate and Oliver Chris as Petruccio. Directed by Nick Hutchinson.
Trains: Tube: Tower Hill, Aldgate East 
Phone: 0207702 2789
Website: www.wiltons.org.uk
Playful: Oliver Chris (Petruchio) and Rachael Stirling (Katherine) at Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton's Music Hall, the world's oldest grand music hall, plays host for the next month to the world's oldest battle. Its grimy walls - still needing money for refurbishment - will look down on a Shrew of sporadic merit that only just justifies itself by its strange close.
Shakespeare's tale of how Petruchio aggressively woos and reforms the waspish Katherine is often said to be unpleasantly outdated. That is baloney. No man or woman with a truthful eye could regard Petruchio's fight for control of his mate as wholly alien.
Still this play must convince as a love story to work, and that is a hard ask. As Petruchio and Kate, Oliver Chris (from Green Wing) and Rachael Stirling (from Tipping the Velvet) start dreadfully. As they first set eyes on each other, they attempt a "love at first sight" moment. The air between them crackles like sponge.
Director Nick Hutchison keeps the play's strange framing scene in which the drunken Christopher Sly, also played here by Oliver Chris, sits down to watch the play. The point when he switches characters, donning Petruchio's boots, is baffling, but Chris makes a charismatic go of the new role.
Swaggering, blond and towering above everyone, his Petruchio is as alpha as they come. So free of noticeable weakness is he, it's unthinkable that such an attractive and already wealthy young man would gamble his future on a tart-tongued heiress he hasn't seen.
Stirling at first seems out of her depth. Basing her performance on old-fashioned dramatic declamation, she sets her face in a tragic grimace and stomps, offering no clue as to what makes Katherine so catty.
Around them the laughs come slowly to the supporting cast who, with the exception of Adrian Schiller's amusingly low-key Grumio, eke out humour through obvious gesture and inappropriate campness.
The suitors of Kate's younger sister Bianca and even her father come across as noticeably fruity. It seems Charles Aitken's Lucentio, as the sole heterosexual in Padua, has an easy run at the girl.
In the second half, things improve. Chris recants his jockishness, revealing a yearning, sentimental side to Petruchio.
Stirling finds her rhythm as a surrendered wife: there's a playfulness in her protestations of obedience which suggests a state healthier than simple subjugation.
Finally, we begin to suspect affection exists between the two - but it's a sudden turnaround, and it's been a long plod to get there.
Until 28 April, 020 7702 2789
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I saw Taming of the Shrew on Weds night and was bowled over by the sheer energy and charisma of the cast, not to mention the magically haunting setting of Wilton's Music Hall. It is difficult to come to terms with the mysogyny of the play but if one can leave preconceptions at the door and regard it as the comedy Shakespeare intended, then this is a very good evening's entertainment indeed. Judging by the buzz and enthusiam everyone in the packed house enjoyed the play as much as I did. Sparks fly between Kate and Petruchio; "Crackles like a sponge"? It's a good turn of phrase, I bet Kieron Quirke has been looking for a use for it for ages! Mr Reviewer, maybe you should get out less and then your palate wouldn't be so jaded.
- Valerie Noble, London
I TOTALLY disagree. I saw this show on Wednesday and had the best evening in a long time. Oliver and Rachael are so good together and the audience laughed and laughed. this show makes shakespeare understandable.
- Jenni Smith, UK
Well, two of us were lucky enough to see 'The Taming of the Shrew' last night and, we obviously saw a different production to the critic here even though I know he was sat right behind us.
We loved this production which bounded along with its enjoyment and sense of fun - as long as you're not a hard core feminist you will love this production! Of course, if you are you will probably shy away from the theme in Shakespeare's play anyway.
I am not a paid theatre critic but I think I am probably at the theatre as often as most.
You really could not fault the acting on the stage last night at Wilton's - I act and can only aspire to some of the talent that is present at Wilton's at the moment.
I must admit one's eye is not easily drawn away from Rachael Stirling's beauty but I managed at times last night!
Bravo to all!
We may even a vist a second time!
- Barry Clarke, Brixton Hill, London, England
