Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is one of his most controversial plays, a text brimming with gender politics, power struggles, and uneasy laughs. For actor, director and theatre maker Tasha O’Brien, tackling it meant flipping the script entirely. In this bold new adaptation, staged at the STC Wharf 2 Theatre, the world of Shrew has been transformed into a matriarchy, with Petruchio and Kate’s infamous battle of wills reframed through a very different lens.

I sat down with Tasha to talk about the risks and rewards of turning Shakespeare on his head, why this production refuses to play it safe, and what she hopes audiences will take away when the curtain falls.

So without further ado, here’s Faiths’ Top 5 with Tasha O’Brien. Let’s get bold! 

Q1. How did flipping The Taming of the Shrew into a female-led society change the way you approached the story and its characters?

It was huge! We’ve been having massive discussions in the room about what it means to flip it. At its most basic level, we’re creating a matriarchal society instead of a patriarchal one. But then, what does that mean? We could invert existing structures or build our own society from scratch.

Because the original text is misogynistic, we asked ourselves: is the opposite just a world that dislikes men? That felt too simplistic. We wanted to explore what systemic oppression would look like in a totally reimagined society. We knew audiences would come in with assumptions, so we’ve worked to keep them guessing.

Mitchell Bourke, who adapted the play, has been working on it for seven years. His rigorous adaptation streamlines the text to 70 minutes and removes entire subplots. He’s handed the project over to us – mostly women – saying it needed to be led by women if the gender flip was going to mean anything.

Q.2 Does staging it at the STC Wharf 2 Theatre influence any of your creative choices?

Yes and no. From a marketing perspective, we’re proud to say where it’s being staged, but it’s important to be clear that it’s not an STC production – they’re simply hosting us, for which we’re hugely grateful. That comes with a sense of professionalism and the need to deliver work of high quality, but the venue isn’t dictating our creative choices.

The point of this show is to take risks. We’d make the same creative choices in any venue, but we are respecting this venue by putting a lot into the design – we’re using traditional period costumes so it looks like it could be an STC show, even if it’s very much our own style. Hosting companies like ours ( The Playwrought Project) ensures fresh voices can emerge.

Q3. Since Shakespeare’s plays are usually much longer, what were the biggest creative choices in condensing Shrew down to 70 minutes without losing its heart or edge?

The biggest change was removing the “play within a play” structure — there’s no drunk man being tricked; we go straight into the main story. We’ve also condensed multiple servant roles into single characters, like making Grumio responsible for all servant duties. Other minor roles have been merged into larger through-lines so characters interact more and the story flows better.

The 70-minute cap meant we had to be ruthless – sharp, funny, and controversial without losing the energy or heart. In rehearsals, I’m cutting pauses and adding overlapping dialogue so it runs like a bull at a gate.

Q4. How does the production handle difficult themes like stylised violence and implied sexual violence while maintaining a provocative yet respectful tone?

We redefined what “taming” looks like in this world. Instead of relying on physical violence, we lean into psychological tactics – particularly gaslighting. We’ve discussed in detail what taming means when a woman tries to tame a man, and we’ve built our own rules for that dynamic. We’re avoiding explicit violence or sexuality in favour of subtle but equally potent forms of control. That keeps some mystery for audiences while still provoking strong responses.

Interestingly, flipping the genders has made us question the ending. In our version, Kate and Petruchio may actually be the healthiest relationship by the end,  which is a surprising discovery when you consider how toxic they initially appear. The gender flip gives them both agency in ways the original characters didn’t have, and we’re exploring whether that shifts the balance toward something mutually empowering, even if still imperfect.

Q5. This version touches on timely themes like love, consent, and power . What conversations do you hope audiences will have after seeing the show, and what impact do you hope the production will have on them?

We want audiences to walk away questioning human behaviour beyond gender. You don’t choose where you’re born or how you’re raised, but you can choose how you treat others.

We’re exploring power dynamics, healthy and unhealthy relationships, public versus private personas, and what “currency” means in this world – is it money, social status, appearance, or kindness? And if it’s kindness, does that make you weak?

The hope is that people leave questioning whether they act from personal conviction or societal expectation.

BONUS QUESTION!

What’s the one question you were secretly hoping I’d ask, and what’s your answer?

• If someone doesn’t like Shakespeare, should they bother coming?

My answer is 100% yes. This production is for everyone. Those who love Shakespeare will enjoy the adaptation, and those who dislike him will see something so different that it might open the door to other adaptations.

People often forget that some of their favourite films (10 Things I Hate About You and She’s the Man) are Shakespeare adaptations. This show could be the one that makes them rethink their stance. 

The Taming of the Shrew by The Playwrought Project opens 26th September at Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 2 Theatre. For details see:  https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2025/the-taming-of-the-shrew

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