25 January 2008: Taming of the Shrew

My friend Marco recently asked me if I wanted to see the production of William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew on Notre Dame campus. An avid advocate of the arts and a seeker of non-traditional Friday night experiences, I agreed. What drew me to that particular play?

First, there is the association of theatre itself. Often, a child's first impression of theatre is one of special adulthood. My first memory of theatre is attending a play at Central College in Pella, Iowa on a school outing. Theatre was a special break from the day. One had to be on their best behavior. One often was surrounded by adults. Children often want to emulate adults and the theatre served as a way to feel 'grown up." As an adult and somebody who has worked in theatre, theatre is a status symbol. It represents wealth (monetary, cultural, intellectual).

Second, The Taming of the Shrew is a product of William Shakespeare. Shakepeare is dispersed through cultural history as the world's greatest writer. As a result, people associate William Shakespeare with quality and culture. We also associate William Shakespeare with England. That is why the third element, "Actors from the London Stage," connected with many people. Americans infuse a mystical value upon that which is foreign. Curiosity and draw is created when that value is a positive one, as it is with England. The combination of all three aspects enables one to feel special when one attends this play. They can see something foreign quality that most people cannot. They feel the sense of adult accomplishment.

Finally, the poster itself accent these feelings of classic history using black and whites pictures of the English actors, which are traditionally associated with the past and Williams Shakespeare. The three performances then created the sense of urgency that culminated in my agreeing to see this play.