‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ ‘70s-Style, Proves Energetic

A 1970s theme--replete with period music and costumes--brings a contemporary slant to the timeless comic social upheavals of “The Taming of the Shrew” at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. Though the conceit is not without its compromises, Ellen Geer’s energetic outdoor staging ignites the all-important adversarial fireworks between Shakespeare’s romantic antagonists.

Geer envisions the iconoclastic Petruchio (Jim Lefave) and Kate (Melora Marshall) as cases of arrested development--stubbornly clinging to ‘70s counterculture values amid a climate of unapologetic greed. Sporting a leather-jacketed, “born to be wild” persona, Lefave convincingly reinvents Petruchio as the grizzled leader of an outcast band of Vietnam vets. His search for a bride with a sizable dowry represents a bit of toe-dipping in the mercenary, opportunistic status quo. Nevertheless, there’s only so far he’ll go--as evidenced by his appearance at his own wedding dressed in Day-Glo briefs and an ersatz Indian headdress with psychedelic feathers. In her refusal to be shopped around like merchandise, Marshall’s fiercely independent Kate snags Petruchio’s attention (and ours) and never lets go.

While the change of setting sparks some ingenious sociopolitical parallels, it’s also confining at times--the text’s universality is diminished by overly specific references, like the “Quack N Bush” button worn by Kate’s calculating father (Tom Allard). Some of the ‘70s jokes probably won’t travel well beyond the generation who witnessed the era firsthand. On the plus side, the modern elements are skillfully modulated with classical training in performances from Alan Blumenfeld, Ford Rainey, Sheridan Crist, Aaron Hendry, Gerald Rivers and a lively supporting cast.

Limitations notwithstanding, the production adroitly honors Shakespeare’s core themes. Kate’s “taming,” sometimes criticized as sexist in overly literal interpretations, is nothing of the kind here--it unfolds as an allegory of the mutual accommodation men and women must face in a marriage. Kate is not the only one who changes--Petruchio’s ultimate plea for harmony and tranquillity reveal how she has calmed his demons just as he has hers, though his transition could be clearer. Nevertheless, they achieve far more mutual regard and understanding than her sister Bianca (Inara George, substituting for Abby Craden) and Lucentio (Justin Doran) display in their parallel, more socially acceptable, courtship.

Geer’s staging includes the often-omitted prologue, situating the tale as a play-within-a-play performed by a minstrel troupe. The resulting festive, music-laden atmosphere amid the gorgeous canyon backdrop makes an enjoyable late afternoon romp.

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* “The Taming of the Shrew,” Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Sundays, 4 p.m. Ends Sept. 24. $20. (310) 455-3723. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.