Shakespeare's romantic battle of wits and wills gets an update

New Farm Nash Theatre has created a fascinating new version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Padua's a rough town to make a living, what with the competition between crime families. In the middle of it all is Baptista and her bar, maintaining a balance of power - as long as everyone pays their tab.

Things are getting complicated though. Take Baptista's daughters. Bianca is the soft, beautiful, buxom object of desire for half the Mafia. Katherina is the hard-drinking, hard-working, hard fighting, shrew that refuses to let any man use her sister.

Baptista is looking to make the right partnership, but can't catch a break. In the midst of this is Petruchio - adrift in the world and flush with his deceased daddy's cash. He's looking for purpose in all the wrong places. He wants to impress his old criminal friends - and if that means matching wits with Katherina and winning her over, then he's prepared to give it a shot. He'll just need to take a few dozen shots first.

Nash Theatre's production of The Taming of the Shrew will reach for the top shelf and serve a mixture of immorality, disguise, fisticuffs, seduction, crime, comedy and romance soaked in whisky.

The Brunswick Room (at Merthyr Road Uniting Church), 52 Merthyr Road, New Farm. Licensed Bar .

Season: May 12=June 3. Preview /Final Dress Rehearsal Friday May 12 at 7.30 pm All seats $10. Opening Night (including supper) Saturday May 13 at 7.30 pm

Adult $25, Concession $20, Member/Child $17

Evening Performances : Adult $20, Concession $15, Member/Child $12

Booking: Phone: 3379 4775 Email: nashtheatre4@bigpond.com

Online: www.trybooking.com/248505

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