Fringe Review: 10 Things I Hate About Taming Of The Shrew

This show was reviewed at the Masonic Lodge on February 21 2019

Gillian English is a Canadian comedian, a storyteller, an evident feminist with a hatred for Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew like no other. A hatred that she’s turned into a laugh out loud show that outlines, a la 1991 classic 10 Things I Hate About You, the ten things she hates about The Taming of the Shrew.

Gillian has an incredibly vivid stage presence, not only is she funny but she swears like a sailor, or in the Aussie equivalent a fourteen year old girl in the midst of her angsty stage. I could relate. She covers a myriad of topics, from misogyny to sexism, homophobia, and proto-feminism in the source material. There are also so many hilarious tangents like the Medicare application process, throat ripping and a heap of Rupaul’s Drag Race references (yes I caught them all).

Honestly, beware, Gillian doesn’t mince her words and nor should she, she’s vocalising the issues that plague women, the LGBTQIA and minority communities. As well as some hilarious callouts to the men in the audience, this show is definitely not for the easily offended.

It’s all done in good humour though, and it’s all incredibly educational on Shakespeare’s motivations behind his plays. Unfortunately, many of the 90’s and 00’s references flew past my 21 year old brain but if you’re 25 plus, you should be good.

Adults only, obviously, and heavily geared towards women and the LGBTQIA, but it might be worth bringing in some guys, if only to watch them squirm as Gillian teaches you how to tear off a very specific appendage.

10 Things I Hate About Taming of the Shrew is playing at Gluttony, at the Masonic Lodge from February 22 to March 3 (excluding Feb 25).