The Taming of the Shrew opened last weekend and for once this summer we were graced with fine weather. The cast and crew have created another winner. We had a near capacity audience on Saturday night. Here are some audience comments

Grahame Cover said:

"We went to see the Shrew last night. Marvellous! What an excellent job you've done in bringing Shakespeare alive. The energy levels and fluency in the play were a feast for the audience. Shakespeare outdoors is always good and we've seen some memorable productions in Australia, London and New York. Yours certainly will join our hall of fame."

Julie & Matthias Inhelder said:

"We took our boys, aged 12 & 9, and a picnic to "The Taming of the Shrew" last Sat. night at Mort Bay. What a fabulous evening! We were riveted and it was wonderful to see my 12 year old roaring with laughter at his first Shakespeare production! We all enjoyed the show enormously. A relaxed outdoor venue is the perfect opportunity to introduce children to Shakespeare - thank you to all involved for bringing such a great experience to Balmain - please do more productions! We will be telling everyone we meet to go along and see "The Taming of the Shrew"!

The show runs for two more weekends, but if the fickle Sydney weather is good this weekend, don't put off seeing the show till the last weekend which might be rained out.

The show is at Mort Bay Park in McKell St, Balmain (or Birchgrove if you like). There is ample parking and the local pub, the Dry Dock Hotel (only 100 metres from the show) is doing a special Shakespeare on the Green take away menu for us for under $10. There is also the possibility of catching a ferry to the Balmain Thames St wharf, and walking a few minutes to the western end of the beautiful harbourside park where the play is being staged.

The remaining dates are: Friday 29 Feb, Saturday 1 March, Sunday 2 March. Friday 7 March, Saturday 8 March and Sunday 9 March. All performances start at 7.30pm and conclude about 10pm. Go to the website www.shakespeareonthegreen.com.au for more information.

Organise your group now. Hope to see you at the show.

Regards

James Kearney (Producer)

Our production for 2008, Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, opens in 10 days so make sure not to miss it. This year we have been very fortunate in gaining the wonderful support of Leichhardt Council and the local community to hold this year’s production at the Village Green, Mort Bay Park, Birchgrove.

The green is in a beautiful harbourside setting, with street parking and is close to public transport. There are many good local eateries and audiences are welcome to bring picnics to enjoy, along with pillows and rugs of course.

The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most hilarious and romantic plays. It draws different responses from audiences, as the two main characters, Katharina played by Cat Martin and Petruchio played by Jared Morgan, battle their way through the landscape of true love. This duelling bride and groom are of course among Shakespeare’s most memorable and controversial characters. Theirs is a most passionate and tempestuous affair that challenges us to go with them on their wild journey.

Once again, our award-winning designer Imogen Ross with Bart Groen will create a stage that melds the setting of Shakespeare's hilarious comedy in a northern Italian town, with that of the Leichhardt community and its contemporary, Italian influence.

By special arrangement, audience members can purchase a Shakespearian Picnic from the Dry Dock Hotel (the closest pub & café) and then just wander the 150 metres or so to the show. Enjoy the cold sliced meats, bread, chutney and crackers in your own picnic for two. The hotel is a proud supporter of the show and can be found at the corner of Cameron and Mort streets in Birchgrove/Balmain. The hotel also offers a restaurant menu on Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm (bookings essential 9555 1306). Sunday nights is roast night - all welcome. Please just let the staff know that you need to get away on time for the show.

All performances start at 7.30pm and will end around 10pm. Once again, no bookings, just turn up. Tickets are $18 per adult, and children 12 & under are free. If in doubt, check the website for the weather alert.

We wanted to express our thanks again to you, our supporters and friends who give us so much encouragement and share a love of the great Bard's extraordinary and timeless works. We are delighted to be able to produce this witty, sexy and provocative play that everyone enjoys.

With our best wishes, James Kearney & Sher Guhl

Performance details Friday 22 February Saturday 23 February Sunday 24 February Friday 29 February Saturday 1 March Sunday 2 March Friday 7 March Saturday 8 March Sunday 9 March

We are pleased to announce that this year we are producing Shakespeare's hilarious battle of the sexes, "The Taming of the Shrew".

The story, in brief.., to the dismay of the attractive Bianca's many suitors, her wealthy father will not allow her to marry until her shrewish sister, Kate, is also married. Enter Petruchio, a gold digger with attitude, who swears to tame and marry the unpopular Kate. Has the Shrew met her match? The action is set in the cafe society of Leichhardt's Norton Street. The venue is outdoors on the Village Green, Mort Bay Park, McKell St, Birchgrove.

The "The Taming of the Shrew" opens Friday 22 February and runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night for three weeks. Performance dates are Fri 22, Sat 23, Sun 24, and Fri 29 February, Sat 1, Sun 2, Fri 7, Sat 8 and Sun 9 March 2008. All performances start at 7.30pm and tickets go on sale at 6.30pm. Check the details on our website by clicking HERE .

For those of you who saw our last production, there are some important differences. The new venue is a public park so BYO everything. The VENUE page of our website has a useful map. Public transport information can be found on the FAQ page or there is plenty of parking in streets surrounding McKell St.

Thank you again for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the show.

James Kearney (producer) and Sher Guhl (director)