The Reviews For Kiss Me, Kate Are In!
Kevin, June 20th, 2024A Sizzling Summer Spectacle!
Led by Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty and Ridley) and Broadway powerhouse Stephanie J. Block (Into The Woods, The Cher Show) the quintessential Broadway musical comedy presents a backstage farce about the onstage and offstage antics of a theatrical troupe staging Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
The plot centers on the stars of the show Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham as they clash both on and off the stage and work through their disorganised feelings, set to the beat of Cole Porter's most famous songs. So, what did the critics think?
Critic Reviews of Kiss Me, Kate
"Glorious music, falderol frivolity and Adrian Dunbar. Cole Porter's musical variation on The Taming of the Shrew gets an exhilarating revival." - The Guardian
"This play-within-a-play take on The Taming of the Shrew at the Barbican is admirably witty, and the Line of Duty star exhibits a comic touch." - The Times
"The TV star and a fantastically on-form Stephanie J Block make a swell duo in this smart new staging with all the makings of a summer hit." - The Telegraph
"There's something about the combo of sparkly old Cole Porter show tunes in the blank brutal concrete of the Barbican that just works. Even with the flaws of the show, and the occasional lacunae in Sher's direction static moments that lose momentum it's all just so much fun." - Independent
"Cole Porter's songs shine through this revival of the 1948 musical while its problems are cleverly addressed." - Financial Times
"Opening in London last night, Bartlett Sher's lip-smacking revival, starring Line Of Duty's unlikely heartthrob Adrian Dunbar and Broadway diva Stephanie J Block, is a candy store of great songs, hot dancing, smart gags and glorious characters." - The Daily Mail
