Kiss Me Kate - June 12th -
19th 2004 |
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12th - 19th June 2004
Lowther Pavilion, Lytham
With 18 unforgettable Cole Porter songs (including Another
Op’nin’, Another Show; Too Darn Hot; Why Can’t You Behave;
Wunderbar; So In Love; Always True To You in my Fashion and
Brush Up Your Shakespeare) and Sam and Bella Spewack’s hilarious
book - which Cole Porter himself described as “the best ever” –
this irresistible musical comedy will have you
rolling-in-the-aisles with delight!
CAST LIST
Katherine / Lilli |
Joan Aitchinson |
Petruchio / Fred |
Nigel Taylor |
Bianca / Lois Lane |
Sarah Appleton |
Lucentio / Bill |
James Kennedy |
Paul |
Peter Taylor |
Hattie |
Jenny Sunley |
Hortensio |
Ken Carter |
Gremio |
Andrew Windsor |
1st
Gangster |
Steven Hagan |
2nd
Gangster |
TBC |
Baptisa /
Harrison Howell |
Paul Aitken |
Cab Driver /
Haberdasher |
Stanley Kershaw |
Ralph |
Dave Hornby |
Noda North West - Review!
This was the first time I had watched a
show by this society for 42 years. I wonder why! That said it was a very
nice change to sit and watch. This was a very goad show, which was lively
from the beginning to the end. There were some great chorus numbers
including "Another Openin' . We open in Venice and of course, the finale
to Act one. The scenes in the dressing rooms worked particularly well —
thanks to Kate and Fred. The opening of Act two with "Too Dam Hot" was
excellent and very well set. The two gangsters did a good job throughout
and
excelled themselves in "Brush up your Shakespeare". The two leads gave
wonderful performances.
Synopsis
Another Op'nin' Another Show welcomes you to Baltimore and to the opening
of a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The cast
is on stage and receiving final instructions from Fred Graham, the
director. A play-within-a-play unfolds, where each of the four main cast
member's on-stage performance is complicated by what is happening in his
off-stage life. Fred takes the roles of director and male lead, Petruchio.
His ex-wife Lilli, now a movie star with a reputation for being difficult
to work with, plays Katharine, the shrew. Fred's current love interest,
Lois, plays the role of Bianca, and the other man in Lois' life, Bill,
plays the role of Lucentio.
Before the curtain rises on "The Shrew" we find out that Bill has a
gambling problem. He tells Lois that he signed a $10,000 IOU for a debt in
Fred's name, instead of using his own name. Not long after Lois begs Bill
to stop gambling, two thugs show up at the theater to make it clear that
Bill will have to make good on that IOU. But they confront Fred instead of
Bill, since Fred's name is on the gambling debt. Lois asks Bill Why Can't
You Behave? Fred and Lilli reminisce nostalgically about their other
performances together, and their warm feelings for each other return -Wunderbar.
When flowers sent by Fred to Lois mistakenly get delivered to Lilli, Lilli
falls even more deeply in love with Fred -So in Love.
We are brought into Shakespeare's world with We Open in Venice. It is not
long before we are told that Lucentio (Bill) may not marry his love Bianca
(Lois), until Bianca's older sister Katharine (Lilli) the shrew is married
off. Bianca enjoys flirting with her gentlemen callers in Tom, Dick or
Harry. Fortunately for Bianca and Lucentio, Petruchio (Fred) comes to town
looking for a wealthy wife and is not scared off by Katharine. Petruchio
explains his goal in I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua and Katharine
makes her feelings clear in I Hate Men. Lilli finally discovers that the
flowers Fred sent her were actually intended for Lois, and we hear her
shriek in outrage from offstage. In Were Thine That Special Face Petruchio
sings of his strong feelings for Katharine. Lilli threatens to walk out of
the show, but is forced to stay. Fred convinces the two gangsters that he
will be able to pay them the money he allegedly owes them, if they can
make sure Lilli continues to play her role. The gangsters put on costumes
and become part of the cast of "The Shrew" to stay close to Lilli. Lilli
uses her anger toward Fred to express herself as Katharine for the rest of
the show. Fred is forced to get tough with Katharine as he plays Petruchio.
Kiss Me, Kate closes the first act.
The second act opens with Too Darn Hot, which gives the cast a chance to
relax outside the theatre during intermission. Back at "The Shrew"
Petruchio marries Katharine, and already misses his relatively peaceful
single life in Where Is the Life That Late I Led? Lois and Bill sing of
their relationship in Always True to You (In My Fashion) and then Bill
sings Bianca. When the gangsters call their boss to 'check in,' they find
out that the boss has been killed. This makes Bill's IOU worthless, so the
gangsters can leave. Lilli takes the opportunity to walk off the show, and
leaves with her dependable fiance Harrison, as Fred reprises So in Love.
The gangsters get caught up in the limelight and pay an unusual tribute to
Shakespeare in Brush Up Your Shakespeare. Bianca and Lucentio are finally
married. As "The Taming of the Shrew" comes to a close, Lilli unexpectedly
returns to the stage, and in Katharine's words expresses her intention of
returning to Fred -I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple. Lilli and Fred
are reunited, and Lois and Bill are together.
Song List
Overture
Another Op'nin; Another Show
Why Can't You Behave
Wunderbar
So In Love
We Open In Venice
Tom, Dick Or Harry
I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua
I Hate Men
Were Thine That Special Face
Too Darn Hot
Where Is The Life That Late I Led?
Always True To You (In My Fashion)
Bianca
So In Love (Reprise)
Brush Up Your Shakespeare
I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple
Padua Street Scene - We Open In Venice
Rose Dance
I Sing Of Love
Finale Act I
Entr'acte
Pavane
"Shrew" Finale - So Kiss Me, Kate
It Was Great Fun The First Time
A Woman's Career
We Shall Never Be Younger
I'm Afraid, Sweetheart, I Love You
If Ever Married I'm
What Does Your Servant Dream About?
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Kool
Pictures
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