Review: Kiss Me Kate, at the Barbican Centre, London

Another openin' another show!!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist, especially as this one is fresh off an opening night itself. After seeing Standing at the Sky's Edge and seeing off my parents, I trekked across to the Barbican centre. I was last here for My Neighbour Totoro - and just like then, I got lost, as the Barbican is HUGE!

This Summer, the Barbican is hosting a run of Cole Porter's classic, Kiss Me Kate, an oldie which I have never had the chance to see live before (the closest being catching John Wilson's concert on iPlayer when I was living in France). This production is directed by Bartlett Sher (My Fair Lady, The King & I), his first production to ever premiere in the UK rather than the USA (usually the Lincoln Center, where he is the Artistic Director). This is the first production the West End has seen since the 2012 Old Vic revival starring (Queen!) Hannah Waddingham as Lilli/Katherine. 

It's Baltimore, 1948, and it's Too Darn Hot (sorry!)

Kiss Me Kate is based at a theatre, and clashes two popular tropes, especially for the time: the show within a show, and the split up/divorced couple re-finding love. Renowned director Fred Graham is putting on a musical version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, starring is ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi. Throw in flirting, dancing and gangsters, and you have not just comedy but also chaos. 

I have to get this out of the way: yes, it feels a little dated because it is 

Thankfully, this is addressed, better than I expected it to be in fact, through Sam and Bella Spewack's book, and of course through Cole Porter's music and lyrics. Porter was a master of rhymes, putting together stanzas you would think would never normally go together. And whilst the plot is dated, it is still witty and charming, and thicker than something like Anything Goes is (thank goodness!). 

More than anything, Sher let the actors and material shine, rather than try and transform this classic piece the way Rebecca Frecknall did with Cabaret. I do wish though that he made a couple of tweaks into how it was performed and making it a bit more imaginative, purely based on how HUGE the Barbican stage is, and with the revolve they had, it could have opened up a lot more options (and also not frame a big chunk of Always True To You right at the front when people in the top had to lean over to get any chance of seeing). 

Now onto the cast: this is a very interesting bag, forming of TV favourites, West End big names and Broadway royalty. 

The latter being the fabulous Stephanie J Block

Being her West End debut, Stephanie being cast was a big reason for me choosing to get an in-the-gods ticket for the show. I knew she was going to be good in the part, but what I hadn't realised was how good of a part it was for her vocal range, as well as stretching out that class and wit she naturally has in spades. Known for belting, she raised the roof doing just that in I Hate Men, but she also has this beautiful soprano register you might never have seen before. Her So In Love was beautiful, and there were some notes at the end of the first act that lead her into full diva Carlotta Guidicelli mode. Getting to see her on stage was a marvel. 

Her leading man was Adrian Dunbar. Who people may know best as Ted Hastings from Line of Duty. I think a lot of us were, in all honesty, scratching our heads at first, but his characterisation of Fred/Petruchio wasn't bad, especially for a musical theatre debut. And thankfully, his singing voice will not make you want to scream "Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey". 

However, it's the smaller parts who really get to rival Block's star presence

Jack Butterworth took what little he had with Paul, and ran with it, his star moment being the electrifying Too Darn Hot, leading Anthony Van Laast's choreography with pazazz. Peter Davison (Gypsy) also makes his (in all honesty thankless) small part of Harrison Howell stand out. 

I guarantee however, the ones you will end up truly loving are Hammed Animashaun (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Nigel Lindsay as the two Gangsters. 

These two are utterly hilarious, stealing every scene they are in. These two know comedy and it shows; again, it's interesting casting, but oh my God it works. And their big number at the end, Brush Up Your Shakespeare, a classic example of Cole Porter's wittiness - chef's kiss. I personally hope they get a joint Olivier nomination next year. 

If you're up for a classic comic farce, then Kiss Me Kate could be the show for you 

I would say it is definitely worth it for Stephanie J Block's performance. There's some eye candy from Catherine Zuber's costumes, and from the choreography. Kiss Me Kate is not a perfect production however. It is definitely of its time, some of its lines being pretty misogynistic. Again, this was 1948. I'd personally love to see a revival, having now seen it and understand it, that really tackles it head on. You can see that Block does attempt this, but I really wish it could be pushed all the way. I still definitely enjoyed it: I can see why Kiss Me Kate is seen as a Wunderbar classic.