THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

The success of a production of "Shrew" depends on the actors playing the shrew, Kate, and the "shrew tamer," Petruchio. Happily, Frances Barber's Kate is terrifyingly shrill early in the play; she transforms her voice to that of a rich and gentle maiden by the comedy's end. Likewise, Roger Allam's voice communicates Petruchio's pride and matching emotional transformations throughout the play. The madcap interactions and resulting humor among all the character flow, as well. Though there are more than a dozen characters, each voice is distinct and clear. The one drawback in the production is its richness; at times, there are such rich accents and so much background noise that it's hard to tell what is being said. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]