Stephanie J Block and Adrian Dunbar in Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre, London. Picture: Johan Persson
Kiss Me, Kate continues at the Barbican Theatre, London until 14 September 2024.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Aside from his success as a director of non-musicals, notably Oslo, which won Best Play at the Tonys in 2017 and was nominated for an Olivier in 2018, Bartlett Sher has been revisiting classic Broadway musicals in an innovative, spectacular way, especially in his versions of South Pacific, The King and I and My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center before successful transfers to the West End and extensive tours in the UK.
His last offering – Camelot – didn’t fare as well although it still deserved a West End transfer. In the meantime, Sher has now treated us to his first Golden Age revival, originating on this side of the pond, with Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate.
A little too often produced in the past few decades, one can easily understand why Porter’s masterpiece is often chosen, as it possesses an unforgettable score and a very witty and easily updatable book by Samuel and Bella Spewack. The reference to Shakespeare also makes it a natural choice for English audiences.
Though hard to surpass the 1999 Broadway revival and its impeccable choreography by Kathleen Marshall – sadly failing at the West End box office, even though it starred the great Brent Barrett and the much-missed, wonderful Marin Mazzie – this new production lacks a bit of dancing in Act I, especially considering the presence of uber talented dancer Charlie Stemp (underused) as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio and Jack Butterworth (as Paul).
As Fred Graham/Petruchio, Adrian Dunbar, surprisingly capable vocally, is lacking in ego and is quickly overshadowed by the charismatic Broadway diva Stephanie J Block, perfect in the roles of Lilli Vanessi/Katherine, whose vocals are superb.
Block’s intimate delivery of the haunting ‘So in Love’ is deeply moving and her bravura rendition of ‘I Hate Men’ makes it every inch a showstopper. What lacks at first is a bit of chemistry between the central couple, but sparks finally fly in Act II. We also get our money’s worth thanks to some spectacular dancing from the energetic, red-hot Butterworth, who, along with Stemp, gets to show off his immense dancing talent. These numbers, impeccably choreographed by Anthony Van Laast, manage to incorporate some contemporary urban moves into one of the best versions of ‘Too Darn Hot’ that I’ve ever seen.
As Stemp’s love interest, Georgina Onuorah (Lois Lane/Bianca), also delivers a stunning ‘Always True to You in My Fashion’, transforming the number into a Girl Power statement which avoids the uncomfortable pitfalls surrounding the original character (an ingenue taken advantage of by an older man).
Another update sees the spanking scene between Dunbar and Block removed. Instead, we get a lot of chasing between the pair from onstage to backstage, rendered spectacular by the revolving stage design by Michael Yeargan, who, like costume designer Catherine Zuber and lighting designer Donald Holder (all part of Sher’s usual winning team), has put a definitely recognisable stamp on their series of Broadway musical revivals.
The supporting cast, including Peter Davison as General Harrison Howell, and the superb dancing ensemble are also top notch. Near the ending of Act II, Stemp finally gets his moment in a brilliantly executed ‘Bianca’ before the icing on the cake comes in the form of Hammed Animashaun and Nigel Lindsay as the two theatre-loving gangsters, ending the show with a bang in their rendition of ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’. It’s a good idea to reprise this number with the whole cast as an encore.
All in all, a true Broadway calibre revival of a classic, already timeless due to its high level of sophistication and humour in Porter’s lyrics as well as in the spoken dialogue. Surely the best backstage musical ever and the best show within a show (the direct addresses to the audience from Dunbar make this production in fact a show within a show within a show). All matched by the everlasting beauty of Porter’s music, brilliantly orchestrated by Don Sebesky, with additional new orchestrations from Tom Kelly and dance arrangements by the great Gareth Valentine. This splendid production is bound to be the highlight of the summer season.
Though it might upset some purists, this revival of Kiss Me Kate, updated for today’s audience, manages to remain faithful to the original in style and content, unlike other reinterpretations of Broadway classics. Not to be missed at the Barbican until 14 September, after which a West End transfer or a tour would be most welcome.
Patrick Honoré
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