TNT BRITAIN One of the world’s foremost touring companies presents

William Shakespeare’s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Dates: 13 Oct- 3 Nov. 2008

Tickets: 6551 6930 or 6551 6906

Presented by:Milky Way Arts & Communications Co. Ltd

The Taming of the Shrew

Director/Editor: Paul Stebbings
Live music composer: John Kenny
Producer:Grantly Marshall

This is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and popular comedies. The story follows the fortunes of the beastly Petruchio as he attempts to tame the wild beauty of Kate and claim not just her hand in marriage but a slice of her foolish father’s gold. Meanwhile Kate’s young sister is chased by a string of would –be husbands who will resort to any trick, or adopt any disguise, to claim their pretty prize. As ever the Bard (as he is known) explores serious themes through comedy, these include the battle of the sexes, the role of women, the hypocrisy of men and the true value of gold and love. Of course Shakespeare was writing about a very different society from today but he explores universal issues; so that even if we disagree with his position it allows us to examine our own attitude to the role of men and women today.

TNT’s production will also examine the sub-text of the play (without sacrificing the comedy!). For example it is often missed that Petruchio is a soldier. Shakespeare’s Italy was a place of great civilisation but also great violence. Petruchio’s need to dominate the proud Kate is also part of that warlike posture. In a way Petruchio is the classic military boaster of Commedia dell’arte, known as Capitano. We know that Italian comedy influenced Shakespeare, so it seems right to use classic Italian Commedia to illuminate our production. This allows us to use masks and stylised movement, it’s also a very funny form! Visually, we aim to capture the look of Renaissance Italy, inspired by paintings of such artists as Piero della Francesca and Botticelli. As in Shakespeare’s own day, live music will accompany the production, written by noted Scottish composer John Kenny. A five part sung score will be complimented by harpsichord, clarinet and percussion.

TNT and the American Drama Group Europe have been touring Shakespeare’s major works to a worldwide audience for over six years, all directed by Paul Stebbings. Previous productions include MACBETH, HAMLET, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, ROMEO & JULIET and KING LEAR. The productions have been seen from London to Atlanta, Shanghai to Berlin and Tehran to Tokyo. In addition to worldwide performances in major theatres, the productions tour each year as to the courtyards of palaces and astles throughout Europe and Scandinavia.

THE TAMING OF T HE SHREW will compliment the company’s extensive Shakespearian repertoire with a sparkling musical comedy that illuminates dramatic literature’s greatest battle of the sexes.

TNT Theatre
www.adg-europe.com

TNT theatre was founded in 1980 in Britain and since has established itself as one of the most popular international touring theatre companies in the world. Last season alone the company produced seven productions in almost thirty countries worldwide, ranging from Shakespeare classics such as ROMEO & JULIET to their own new play HITLER KILLED MY CANARY, from works by contemporary artists such as Paul Auster’s MOON PALACE to the classic seasonal show: Dickens’ CHRISTMAS CAROL. Since 1993 the company has been in collaboration with the American Drama Group Europe. The artistic director of TNT is Paul Stebbings, whose work has won many awards at, for example, the Munich Biennale, the Edinburgh Festival, the Tehran Festival and from the government of Singapore. Other notable festivals in which the company has participated are the International Off-Broadway Festival in New York, the Tokyo International Theatre festival and the summer festival of the British National Theatre. TNT has also collaborated on co-productions with major venues such as the Athens Concert Hall and the St Petersburg State Comedy Theatre.

The company style aims to integrate all the performing arts. TNT productions always include a specially commissioned score by a leading composer. The director always works with a choreographer and the ensemble actors are chosen for their ability to cross the disciplines of theatre, music and dance.

Press Review

“Astonishingly inventive and wonderfully unpredictable, their visual inventiveness defies description.” - THE SCOTSMAN, Edinburgh Festival

“TNT embodies all the qualities of British theatre.” - SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, Munich

“Touring theatre at its best”. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, Hong Kong

“Highly effective and charismatic theatre.” - VILLAGE VOICE, New York.

“The audience were held in a vice like grip from the first moment...the company demonstrate how Shakespeare can be made relevant to the modern world.” - JAPAN TIMES, Tokyo

“If young people need to be persuaded to go to the theatre this is the company to see.” – SUDKURIER, Germany

“Forget the big operas, it is TNT's jazz drama that is the hit of the Biennale.” - F.A.Z, Frankfurt

“The best Hamlet I have seen in nearly thirty years as an international critic.” - IRAN ITI THEATRE MAGAZINE, Tehran.

“The most entertaining play at this year's festival.” - THE LIST, Edinburgh.

“Despite the fact that the company performed in English the state comedy theatre was packed out every night. We have seen nothing like this dynamic style of theatre.” - ENTRE ACT MAGAZINE, St Petersburg.

International Tour of TNT Theatre

TNT has toured to almost every corner of Britain, from London's National theatre to Scottish village halls. The company has received regular subsidy from the Arts Council of Britain and the British Council. TNT's music theatre version of Shakespeare's KING LEAR recently toured the UK to an outstanding critical reception.

TNT, in collaboration with ADGE has dominated English language theatre in Germany since 1993 giving over 500 performances a year.

TNT gives some fifty performances a year in major theatres of Switzerland and Austria.

TNT has been touring Japan since 1992 and has given more foreign language performances in more venues than any other non-Japanese company.

TNT is the only English Language theatre to perform regularly in major theatres nationwide in France.

TNT has toured Scandinavia since 1986 and the summer castle tour is particularly successful.

TNT's first foreign performance was in Amsterdam, Holland in 1981. This has evolved into a regular circuit in Belgium and Luxembourg, where they are the leading foreign theatre ensemble.

TNT works in high profile venues and festivals with the cooperation of the Athens Concert Hall, and the Volos Centre for Music Theatre of Greece.

TNT presents on average 12 weeks of performances a year in the Czech Republic and performed in Slovakia in 2004 and 2005. The company has been toured regularly in Poland from 1989 until 2007.

TNT toured Russia from 1990 – 1997, and toured Ukraine twice, being the first foreign theatre company to perform in several Ukrainian theatres since the Revolution.

TNT performs annually in the Gulf states of Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai. At the Fajr Festival in Tehran (the Muslim World's largest Arts Festival) TNT won first prize for HAMLET in 2004. 3000 people saw HAMLET in Iran and 2000 visited MACBETH in Kuwait.

TNT has performed in either Singapore or Hong Kong every year since 1994, and received Singapore National Youth Arts Achievement award in 2004.