The Taming Of The Shrew
- TV comedy drama
- BBC Two
- 1980
- 1 episode
John Cleese stars as Petruchio in Jonathan Miller's production of William Shakespeare's classic comedy. Also features Simon Chandler, Anthony Pedley, John Franklyn-Robbins, Frank Thornton, Sarah Badel and more.
Press clippings
Overall, the production moved with elegance and grace, evincing a consummate blend of theatrical conventions and televisual tricks. Miller chose to 'place' the action in the seventeenth century, and to play it straight rather than in the slap-and-tickle mode which is often tried.
John Naughton, The Observer, 26th October 1980John Cleese, Petruchio in BBC2's the production, has never played in Shakespeare before and hardly has the voice for it now. Instead of competing with trained actors he lowers his voice, speaks softer, whispers, murmurs and though this is odd for Petruchio, it is rather good for television.
Nancy Banks-Smith, The Guardian, 24th October 1980