Proms 2014: Kiss Me Kate/John Wilson Orchestra/John Wilson, Royal Albert Hall - music review

Though billed as a semi-staging, this presentation left little to be desired: cod-Elizabethan costumes, crisp choreography, imaginative lighting and projections were all executed in style
Sleek precision: John Wilson conducting his orchestra
Barry Millington4 August 2014

Their own appearances at the Proms with music from Broadway and Hollywood are always crowd-pullers, but this is only the second time the John Wilson Orchestra has given a complete musical. Two years ago they did My Fair Lady; this time it was Kiss Me Kate, a far stronger piece for all the former’s evergreen popularity. Cole Porter’s sizzling lyrics allied to some of his most memorable tunes lift this light-hearted revamp (with added backstage drama) of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew to another level.

Alexandra Silber’s curled-lip venom in Katharine’s I Hate Men was matched by her sultry delivery of Lilli Vanessi’s So in Love, while Louise Dearman’s account of Lois’s saucy Always True to you in my Fashion was properly sassy. The male lead, playing Fred Graham and Petruchio, was taken by Ben Davis, who displayed all the charisma and chutzpah needed to dominate in the role. James Doherty and Michael Jibson were suitably suggestive in Brush up your Shakespeare and several songs had Porter’s bawdy texts restored.

Under Wilson’s baton the orchestra delivered the score with the taut rhythms and sleek precision for which they are known; the music was given in the original scoring, which like the lyrics was altered for the 1953 MGM movie.

Though billed as a semi-staging, Shaun Kerrison’s presentation left little to be desired: cod-Elizabethan costumes, crisp choreography (by Alistair David), imaginative lighting and projections — all executed in style. In fact in every department, except political correctness, it was a show difficult to find fault with.

The BBC Proms run until Sept 13 (bbc.co.uk/proms). Prom 21 will be broadcast on BBC2 in December.

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