Ballet Austin - The Taming of the Shrew - Dance Review

Bass Concert Hall Austin, Texas October 10-12, 2003

The Taming of the Shrew, Ballet Austin's newest full-length offering by artistic director Stephen Mills, condenses Shakespeare's comic battle of the sexes into three acts of rollicking fun. Warm, fresh, and instantly appealing, it balances slapstick humor with classical finesse.

Shrew is Mills' fourth Shakespearean ballet, succeeding Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hamlet. The romp follows Kate, a spoiled, strong-willed woman, who ultimately bows to her husband Petruchio's authority, once she is softened by love.

For the Austin premiere, the hyperkinetic action kept the audience riveted and laughing, especially when Kate (danced on alternate nights by Margot Brown and Allisyn Paino) battled Petruchio (roguishly portrayed by Jim Stein). Kate's flat-footed stomping and sulking contrasted with Petruchio's wide-legged stance and determined pirouettes.

Long-limbed Brown danced a sexy, sassy Kate, while Paino's fearless, razor-sharp attack evoked a mean-spirited brat. Gina Patterson and Inga Lujerenko shared the role of Bianca, Kate's sweet younger sister, with Lujerenko's mischievous, flirty portrayal contrasting Patterson's demure, modest approach.

Noted for his richly textured choreography, Mills also excels at physical comedy, both subtle and broad. He staged the action like a musical theatre director, with dancers sliding, leaping, and literally hanging off the set. Anthony Casati, Eric Midgley, and Frank Shott, as Bianca's suitors, whizzed through playful, athletic variations. Shrew employed deceptively classical trappings, yet Mills infused the dancing with contemporary sensibilities through dense, interwoven moves, unconventional pas de deux, and unorthodox touches: Petruchio bicycled to his wedding; the dream sequence duet morphed into a pas de trois with an oversized red ball; and in one hilarious scene, the dancers even spoke.

Masked commedia dell'arte players, who served as corps de ballet, scene changers, and assorted townspeople, glided through shifting, perky formations accompanied by a composite score of Vivaldi and Scarlatti selections. Tommy Bourgeois's sparse white set, accented by green box shrubs and clear, Plexiglas furniture, elicited a sunny Mediterranean feel, framed by Tony Tucci's soft lighting.

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