The Taming of the Shrew

The story of Katherina and her marriage to Petruchio has been popular in the theater for four centuries, but the joke of taming an unruly woman has long been growing increasingly controversial. This edition examines how theater directors and performers have explored the complexities of Katherina’s story and that of Christopher Sly, the poor man whose story frames hers. It surveys productions in the English-speaking world, reviewing precise details of the stage action in a social and political context.