Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...In fairness, this is not an unserious, cynical or exploitative show, and certainly not one lacking conceptual ambition (hence the second star below). But it’s pretty terrible when it comes to the execution. It feels like it flows from a group of artists who spend a lot of time in academic echo chambers and were intrigued by the idea of deconstruction and/or reclamation. Alas, they seem to have forgotten to address the most important question of all, especially for a theater that produces a small number of shows: What do we expect the ordinary person in the audience to feel, and why are we taking up their time with this play?"
Chicago Sun Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The culturally problematic “Shrew” requires bold choices, and if there’s one thing that must be said of Lyons’ adaptation, it certainly takes big risks. And the result might have been fascinating if it weren’t so impenetrable."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Highly Recommended
"...Court Theatre’s current production of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” is lush,
sexy, dark, funny, disconcerting, exceptionally cast and exceptionally funny."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Somewhat Recommended
"...n her gutsy adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, presented at the Court Theatre in Chicago, Marti Lyons offers a captivating reinterpretation that challenges the conventional narrative of misogynistic control. Instead, she delves into feminine desire and the intricacies of power dynamics and consent, exploring themes of empowerment through a fresh and intriguing perspective on Shakespeare's play. In Lyons's adaptation, Katherina is not a vessel to be broken and reshaped by the hand of man; she is more like his equal, who has the power and independence to control her own desires and destiny."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Marti Lyons’ stunning and hilarious reinterpretation of The Taming of the Shrew, now playing at the University of Chicago’s Court Theatre, takes Shakespeare’s comedic and contentious rough-cut, sapphire-of-a-play and creates a cloud of dazzling diamond dust. This is a slightly sordid, very witty, and absolutely fascinating production."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Somewhat Recommended
"...TAMING OF THE SHREW will probably always be considered a controversial comedy. We may never be fully certain of Shakespeare’s true intention when he wrote this play, but it’s fairly certain that directors will forever be challenged by presenting a production that audiences will enjoy. Unfortunately for this writer, I was more befuddled than beguiled by this confounding Court production."
Buzz Center Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...We often forget that The Taming of the Shrew is, at its core, a play within a play - a bit of theatrical mischief in which characters watch other characters pretend. Marti Lyons’s ambitious new adaptation for Court Theatre not only remembers this but revels in it. She reframes Shakespeare’s battle-of-wills as a private, immersive experience for five elite guests - figures who could easily have wandered off the set of Succession—invited to indulge in a curated world of erotica, fantasy, and power play. This is not like any production of Shrew I have ever seen. And I love it."
Third Coast Review
- Recommended
"...I have contemplated the versions of The Taming of the Shrew that I have seen over the years. I never liked the premise that a woman should be trained to be docile like a dog. I envisioned lion tamers holding chairs and whips, as well as Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson circling each other in Kiss Me Kate (1953). Director Marti Lyons has adapted a new version of The Taming of the Shrew, now playing at the Court Theatre. It is a delightful staging that I found to be much more fun and satisfying. Heads up, there are giant shrews onstage as silent extras."
Chicago On Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...The Taming of the Shrew at the Court Theatre is the most innovative and engaging take on Shakespeare that Chicago audiences will see this season. Director Marti Lyons has set the bar for modern interpretations of the Bard’s most problematic plays, laying out a blueprint of meta-theatrical commentary which tackles the societal disgust for a drama dripping with misogyny. Without mincing words and without waiting for you to read further, Taming of the Shrew is a must-see for Shakespeare lovers, not to mention those who wonder if it is still worth producing his plays in today’s world."
