On Tuesday 14 September, the two Upper VI A Level English Literature classes took a trip to the Globe Theatre in London to watch Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of The Shrew.’

It was a thoroughly enjoyable rendition of the play, with a completely new perspective. The set design – which centred around a giant (10 foot tall) teddy bear – gave the performance a more light and playful feel, which directly contrasted the themes of abuse and misogyny that are undercurrents that run through the text.

Particular highlights included the drunk Christopher Sly causing a stir through the yard at the start, the charisma of the manipulative Petruchio and the gun, which, though not in the original, we are sure Shakespeare would have approved of.

The use of puppetry and costume helped translate the play’s absurdity onto the stage. Overall, the performance helped bring out the play’s subtleties to a modern audience while dealing with extremely relevant subjects. The trip was incredibly enjoyable, so thank you to our wonderful English teachers who took us!

Imogen Upper VI