I was a little bored by KISS ME, KATE | ★★★ REVIEW of the West End revival at the Barbican, 2024 

PLEASE do not shorten your thoughts on shows, there’s a dearth in critical analysis in musical theatre and you are one of my favorite voices on the subject. Long winded all the way!

I can see how people who actually can see the shows you are reviewing might feel like these videos are too long but as someone who is stuck across the pond I will listen to you talk about these shows for hours

i like your “long winded” commentary-i appreciate your generosity in sharing your expertise and passion with us.

I love your reviews. I think theyre the perfect length. Your outfit is on point in this video.

Your insightful detailed reviews is literally what sets you apart from all other theatre reviewers. They're great 🙌

I like the thorough reviews. Some shows need the history or plot explained before they are critiqued.

I really love the longer videos. There's no waffle and I find the detail and analysis super interesting.

I have seen it. If it is a bit long, it's Porter's fault, not the actor's. The show is beautiful, funny, and the music is incredible. Yet, the most amazing element is the stage : unbelievable!!!❤️❤️❤️. Go and see it!!!

Interesting as to how different theatre pleases different people - this is the best show I’ve seen this year!

Don't call yourself ridiculous! The summer heat can get to us all. Doing things to stay cool, even for a video review, is necessary! Lol! As for Stephanie, she never ceases to amaze me! That woman is a queen of her own!

Just started to watch this & have to say: I discovered your channel yesterday through your video on Eddie Redmayne's Tony performance. Have been marathoning your reviews since! They're GREAT. Please don't feel the need to shorten them. And as someone who lives across the pond and adores SJB, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this revival!

I love the length of the reviews! Genuinely enjoy the longer ones !

Saw it today. Loved it all. That is all.

"Long winded?!" PFFFFFT!

I’m going to see it next week literally just so I can see Stephanie J Block.

Babe, the other day I watched (and loved) a 4 hour long video about the Disney Star Wars Hotel, a hotel I will never be able to go to because it's now out of business. You and I have different interpretations of the phrase "long winded"...

love the length of your videos! keep it up :)

Okay so I didn’t know the show and am not a huge fan of the ‘Classic Golden Age’ and didn’t go based on Stephanie, but instead because of Charlie Stemp, Peter Davison and Nigel Lindsay… I went on Saturday after West End Live and absolutely loved it. Laughed so much, I thought it was an excellent piece of theatre and the gangsters were absolutely perfect casting. I could have listened to Brush Up Your Shakespeare all night long 😂

Love the outfit! .. feel its time to start a “bring back the bears” campaign. Was puzzled by the goose? Great review as always, and never too long for me ..

I love this length of the reviews! The longer the video, the better!

I love your reviews - please don't change x

Thank you for an incredibly accurate and thoughtful review. I just saw the show on a night that Stephanie J Block was out, an event that made some of the less ideal directorial choices stand out more glaringly. I really love your insightful suggestions on how some of these moments could have been staged better - you absolutely hit the nail on the head with Always True To You In My Fashion, Georgina’s skill and charm could have been showcased much better with foils to play off of during a long, clever, but characteristically repetitive Cole Porter number. Loved your discussion and thoughts, and looking forward to more!

Why has nobody commented that the great number Where that Special Fine Face has been CUT from this production with no acknowledgement by producers or reviewers. Why? And Adrian Dunbar appeared in Lady in then Dark at the National in 1997 so this NOT his musical debut! I still greatly enjoyed this production.

Thank god there’s someone out there who agrees with me! I saw the 3rd preview, and my feeling was that it was fine - but I expected it to wow me and it just didn’t. But then I saw the reviews and wondered what it was I missed. I thought Charlie and Georgina were the highlights, but severely underutilised (more of the tap please!) and I loved the gangsters (brush up your Shakespeare was fab!). Stephanie J Block does what she does best and I thought Adrain Dunbar was fine if a little wooden, but ultimately I just didn’t believe the relationship between their characters. The other thing I found a little disappointing was that the dance numbers felt restricted by the space - I thought the set was really impressive, but because of having those three sets on the revolve, it did mean the space for each individual set was quite small.

An excellent review as usual although Dunbar was not up to scratch on the evening we went. Yes, the problem was the overall direction. So many missed opportunities.

I saw the NY 2001 revival with Carolee Carmello. It was wonderful. Ms. Carmello sang the heck out of the score and was riotously funny.

I love the length of your reviews! Please don’t change, the longer the better 🙌🏻

Even before the reviews came out, I booked my ticket over to the UK just to hear Stephanie J Block sing 'I Hate Men.' I'll see other shows too while visiting the West End, but hearing my favorite Broadway actress play the lead in what was my father's favorite musical would alone be worth the trip.

I did this as part of my AmDram in 2019. I absolutely loved it and it has held in my heart for a long while I can't wait to see what they do and also to see King Charlie Stemp

You're a harbinger of positivity! -- "Success is an ongoing journey.."

I love your in-depth, well-considered and well-articulated reviews. You have more to consider in your production than I do, but I say YOU DO YOU. I will keep watching.

I just moved to London and got some great £10 tickets to this show through Young Barbican. I immediately went to look up your channel to see if you had posted a review - not that I can’t formulate my own opinion, but I like to have some idea of what to expect - and you had insanely perfect upload timing! Side note, I find your videos relaxing & uplifting. Your measured tone & take on things is easy to have playing as I go about my week. I’m happy that I can now see a few of the shows you talk about! 🎭

Don Walker's vibrant reorchestration of this show for the '99 revival which this production uses, is one of the few saving graces keeping it from getting too stale.

Love your review length. For people who want something faster, listen to it on 2x speed or use the very generously provided chapter headings to skip over summaries if you'd like. ❤

Long winded you are not!! The thorough-ness of these reviews is amazing as someone who can’t see the majority of these productions from another country

I love the longer videos 😢

Just saw the show and really enjoyed it but agree with most of your criticism. You're completely right - I do feel it appeals most to those of us who know and love the musical, and for me the material is strong enough that it shines even with just a half-way competent production, and this was much better than that. It's not the best version of KISS ME KATE I've seen - I still remember the revival in the early 2000s with great fondness. But it's still a fun night out with classic numbers, well performed and staged. I do think the central couple was relatively weak, and I attribute that largely to both Adrian Dunbar (who I thought was actually relatively weak) and also some of the creative choices. I still have a weakness for the old movie version because (period misogyny aside), they made both romantic leads just so hilariously awful in such similar ways that you rooted for them to get together, if only just to spare the rest of us. Making Stephanie Block sympathetic unfortunately got in the way of that. And yes - go EAT PRAY LOVE, sweetie - you're better than either of those romantic options. But yes, Jack Butterworth did steal the show, as did the showstopping (ahem) choreography. And the production set was fantastic with how it rotated and created movement. I felt Lois/Bill were stronger than the central couple - mostly due to Charlie Stemp and Georgina Onuorah's talent and charisma, but I agree that upping the comedy/playfulness (and even heat) was a missed opportunity given what they were working with. And I can't rave enough about Hammed Animashaun and Nigel Lindsay: I disagree with you there and could have taken even reprises, although I was already struggling to breathe from laughter so maybe not. So a high recommendation from me, with the proviso that this is not a perferct production. As to whether or not it was needed - God yes. Sometimes it's OK just to have a fun night out - something as light, substantial and frothy as champagne.

Right first things first for those who have criticised if your videos are too long then I have one piece of advice. Don't watch them. Seriously you should not feel the need to change the format of your videos just because of one comment. We love watching them for who you are. As for Kiss Me Kate so I saw it at the Sheffield Crucible a few years ago and I thought it was stunning. In fact I came out buzzing from the show and rated it higher than shows like Guys and Dolls because although it can be a bit immature at times, the musical is really good, got great songs and they really brought it to life in that playing space.

MICKEY-The finale when Lili/Kate returns is the exact wording from that moment in Taming Of The Shrew.....

Thanks for posting - was holding off on booking to see if it was worth trekking to the Barbican.

I think what made the 1999 version work was how strong Marin Mazzie was in the role and how she didn't let all the bs phase her. It was the portrayal of a strong woman of that era. Also, I think that version was updated to takes place in the late 50s, when women were starting to push for more equality, if I'm not mistaken.

I love Kiss Me Kate! Especially the West End production with Brent Barret. It was one of my first introductions to live musicals…. On DVD 😂😂

Please keep the long reviews!❤ Having sections to select in the video allows those short on time to get the essentials they want to know

Can't wait to see this on closing night!

Saw this last night and was initially pleasantly surprised by Adrian Dunbar's performance but shortly after he started to look like someone who had won a competition to be in a musical with professionals.

My dear lad, I respect your dedication to your craft, but that outfit in a heatwave is something they wouldn't ask of the Royal Marines. That said: 1- I'm surprised you didn't burst into Too Darn Hot as an intro. 2- Southwark has a beach musical opening. You'll be a lot more comfortable for that one. (And if you're willing to do corduroy and fedora in a heat wave, I can't wait for your review of Naked Boys Singing.) 3- Have you seen the movie De-Lovely? Neither a great nor a terrible movie, but the soundtrack is outstanding. I think a Cole Porter review might work better than a revival of most of his shows.

I always find the misogyny troubling in Kiss Me Kate, but I was impressed with a fresh take at San Diego’s Old Globe a few years ago. They cast Bianca’s main suitor as a woman which added a nice twist to Dad doesn’t want her to marry. Then in the wedding scene all the men wore floofy bridesmaids dresses and Kate’s groom was in a traditional bride’s dress. Emphasized the extreme lengths the groom was going to go Thank you for your full reviews. Like many others who follow you, I love that you’re so detailed and thorough in your opinions

I played piano in the pit for Kiss Me Kate when I was a kid. I remember during the rehearsals I kept hoping I might accidentally break an arm or lose my eyesight for a short period of time to get me out of that nightmare. What a dud.

I saw this show the other day and I completely agree on basically all counts! Stephanie J Block absolutely shines in this show and fulfils the role perfectly especially because I feel like the humour is so dry which works well for a british audience but she also managed to get the dramatics of the character so that when she was singing alone she still managed to fill the stage. Also her dramatics worked well with the set on the revolve as it kind of amped it up and also made it funny. I feel like more could definitely have been done with Georgina Onurohah's Lois Lane as even though her voice is stunning some of her songs kind of fell flat for me, especially Always True To You In My Fashion. I have no idea why they did what they did with it (idk whether she doens't dance as much or something) but especially since they had Bill leave so early in the song, it felt like he was only there for about 30 seconds, which like you said is strange considering that the song is directed at him. Since after this point she didn't do anything else to amp up the song she ended up just doing the same moves over and over, making the song feel even more repetitive than it already is, only for her to then keep going for a second bit, so I kind of felt like I was just waiting for the song to end. They could have had some number between them or at least some other people on stage? (Considering Charlie Stemp's incredible dancing abilities they could have you used it here as well but idk whetehr they just didn't want to upstage her as it is her song - like I said I have no idea what her dancing abilities are). Also I agree completely the gangsters were one of the best part of this production and their Brush Up Your Shakespeare was really funny and their characterisations made me laugh a lot but also bounced off each other well! However, I do agree that they should have split up the song differently as by the end it did end up feeling more repetivive than it needed to be - or maybe more movement needed idk? Also the large ensemble numbers were so good and they utilised them well and they were incredible in terms of skill, but I also agree with the fact that they kind of contrasted weirdly with the rest of the show as some of it just didn't feel like it held the same energy. Overall, I enjoyed it and it had it's really good moments but it did seem to drag in some places.

Oh my god! Thank you for this review! I couldn’t agree more on all of your points. I loved the Shakespeare song but after a while it was a case of ‘okay, enough, you can finish now’. And I’ll admit I felt that for some of the other numbers The main reason I booked for this show was because of Charlie Stemp (loved Crazy for You) and I was a bit disappointed that he didn’t get to shine more. The Taming of the Shrew might be a classic, but some shows (like Madama Butterfly) really feel uncomfortable now, no matter how much you try to add in new lines to take the edge off. One thing about this show that bothered me was the staging. When Jack Butterworth and Charlie were doing their giant leaps in Too Darned Hot, the central revolve was turning and they had just a couple of feet of stable floor space between that and the open orchestra pit. My heart was in my mouth but for the wrong reason. And the night I saw Kiss Me Kate was the night that Sir Ian fell off the stage in The Player Kings. We need to take better care of our performers. PS don't shorten your reviews. You're perfect just as you are

I'm currently working backstage at a community theater production of Kiss Me Kate, and it's really interesting to hear your thoughts on the structure and pacing of the show itself.

I actually love longer videos!

I really enjoy your long reviews! Especially as I won’t be able to see many of the shows myself and can only listen to cast recordings and such. This video was also really interesting because I have a ticket for Kiss Me Kate and I’m going into it more or less blind, so learning a bit more about it was brilliant. My main reason for going is definitely Stephanie J Block and after everything you said I’m even more excited to see her in this!

Seeing this in August and I still can’t wait

Your review got it 100٪ i love all musicals the talent is amazing, there was a certain fizz missing, but wouldnt have missed it. Glad to see Jack although he was bit underused apart from Too Darn Hot with Charlie. 🎉

Love your explaining Taming and didnt reference "10Things I hate About You"

The staging in Always True To You In My Fashion had me wanting to gouge my eyes out just so I could feel something/anything. My GOD that was BORING AF. Otherwise it felt incredibly lazy direction wise - direction is the only thing that could have helped it. Also the male lead needed to be able to… sing

Do not shorten. It’s a theatre deep dive. Although I only watch the reviews now after I’ve seen it myself. But thats just me

I have to say - because I saw Hannah Waddingham in Kiss Me Kate - I am slightly hesitant about seeing another production, which is a shame because it’s a great show. But honestly - she was beyond phenomenal, and I can’t imagine anything matching up!

I saw it while I was in London. I had only ever seen the movie (it was one of mom's favorites) I thought it was okay. Stephanie J Block did an amazing job, but I felt Adrian Dunbar's voice wasn't even close to hers, and I felt the chemistry between them was pretty lacking.

The hats are a hit! Bravo!

This came at a perfect time. I’m planning a London trip and had to decide between this and Hello Dolly. Given what he said about the guy playing Fred I’m gonna go for Dolly. After hearing Howard Keel in the movie so many times I couldn’t deal with a subpar singer in that role. His voice is the only reason I can stand that character 😂

Thank you. The biggest plot twist of Taming of the Shrew is that Petruchio is the one who changes. He falls in love with Kate. He realizes that Kate is great as she is. (Shakespeare was a feminist for this play). They can't change the plot too much because so many works are based on it. I believe Rain Man is one, the brother changes, Raymond is unable.

The early 2000 transfer was proshot with Rachel York - a FAB proshot

I love the hat. Seriously.

I'm going to be nitpicking, so forgive me. Even though Kiss Me Kate was indeed the first to win Best Musical at the Tony Awards in 1949, it won the award at the 3rd ceremony. So it's not quite as old as the Tonys. No award was given for Best New Musical in the first 2 years of the Tonys. Even Best Play didn't come about until the 2nd Ceremony.

I saw this production tonight and really loved it and thought steph was phenomenal! however I really didn't love adrian dunbar tbh

Was a bit disappointed you didn't you 'Too Darn Hot' to describe what you are wearing and how you are feeling for the whole video! 😂

Well noting your final comment, off to see Guys and Dolls this Saturday and then in August Kiss Me Kate is art of 2 day/4 show extravaganza….Two Strangers/Kiss Me Kate/Hadestown/Hamilton in 36 hrs !). And yes I enjoy the videos because you bring context and critique (this is what it could have been….although as much as I”Just for One Day” equally 3 star had elements that could have been better, still really enjoyed the show)

I could (and often do) listen to you all day 😅 I would love to see this just for SJB and AD, but the show's material just seems a bit meh, a company near me is doing it next year but it doesnt grab me, sadly. Their social media content has been outstanding for this production though 😊

Kiss Me Kate has always struck me as a very tricky show to get right as there are so many different aspects that have to be in place. The most common problem is that production teams invariably present the show-within-a-show as 'The Taming Of The Shrew' rather than 'a tryout of a Broadway musical comedy of The Taming of The Shrew', which should (as the film does so well) be bigger, more colourful and more joyous than the backstage scenes. In this production, the onstage scenes were flatly monochrome and the stagey joy came almost entirely from the pit.

I might have to turn in my Old Gay Man card. I don't particularly like Kiss Me, Kate. It's too damn long. It has too many repeated verses (way too many). Cole never knew when to stop being clever. Tell me where I turn in my card. I'm ready.

Why is Fred so old? He looks like he's in his 90s. But I digress... You can't complain about the misogyny of this show. It is a period piece. Nor could it be rewritten. They tried to do that with the last revival on Broadway and if was a huge disaster. (Kind of like the awful rewrite of Shipoopi from the Hugh Jackman revival of The Music Man.) All the same can be said about Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Carousel, Anything Goes, or most of the shows from early eras. Like you said, That's just how the mentality was back then. I think the main problem is... That there were lines in the original script that are now gone for what ever reason, that soften Fred as a character. The line at the end of the movie where he says, "The Leading lady was perfect. No... No, it was the leading man who just couldn't learn the lines." In that moment he is talking responsibility for not only the way he treated he onstage but for the marriage. It's such a powerful line and it has been gone for years. I think this line is one of the things that ultimately brings her back to him. It's the apology and the admission of wrong doing. With this line, he saying that he is really is to blame. That or we maybe we aren't perfect or good for each other. We may still love each other, but he understands why it didn't work. Every time I've done the show I've fought to put that line back in, to no avail.

Adrian Dunbar was not great to be honest, he was pretty pitchy at my show as well, going flat on some of the big notes! And when singing with SJB it really showed that disparity even more. I also thought his accent ebbed a little through the show. I still enjoyed him well enough though, it didn't ruin the show at all, and I'm basic and enjoy seeing a household name on the stage to be honest. I actually think literally all of the performances apart from his were really strong, it was an absolutely stacked cast (the most stacked of anything this year so far), which may be why he came across that much weaker. For me I laughed along and actually thought the pace was good, and there were some little touches I really liked. I enjoyed it more than a lot of similar revivals recently. I just didn't think there was that much plot tension, and as you said, wasn't really rooting for them to get together, so didn't have any real emotional attachment to the last scene. I'd rather the big finale was the gangsters getting their directoral debut!

I will listen to whatever you have to say for however long you have to say it, Mickey-Jo. Honestly, 40 minutes flies, articulate and insightful as all your reviews are. 🩷

I enjoyed the second half much more particularly because of Too Darn Hot and Brush up your Shakespeare . Was a little bored in the first half . Thought Adrian was a little forgettable . Was shocked at how run down the Barbican centre itself was - such a shame

I greatly enjoy your reviews. IDK why but I've never been keen on "Kiss Me Kate" despite enjoying musicals generally. It has some good songs but the story is meh.

Saw KmK a couple days ago. The problem for me was just that I think it's not a fundamentally strong show. I thought the production choices were on the whole quite excellent, but the material itself doesn't haven't strong enough songs apart from Brush up your Shakespeare and Too Darn Hot. As well, the fact that it's in the this limbo of having integrated songs but also not really having integrated songs means that the effort to make me care about the plot at all is completely lost. Highlight is obviously the gangsters, who steal the show in every shape and form, although Stephanie J Block was excellent too.

Might be tiktok people who want shorter reviews but Im on youtube for the longer form content. More minutes please🙌

Always true to you was also a star bump in the 99 version and it never worked. The movie version, which is from the very original script, is much better and ends with the two of them.

I was in KISS MR KATE when I was in high school. I was boated to death being in it then. It felt old back in 1967.

Mickey as you know me and my daughter me and my daughter go every opening ngt this is the first show in years I wanted to walk out nuff said .any way mean girls 2ngt see you later...bless

A very good friend of mine saw the show last night (Saturday) and Steph J Block was missing (understudy in her place). He's a theatre connoiseur and also works in the industry, but found this production incredibly boring; also found Mr. Dunbar a misfit for the role (should be good looking and a stud). Regarding your take on how old and misogynistic "Kiss Me, Kate" is, well... blame it on Shakespeare!. I take things for what they are. Some millennials (not referring to you, dear MickeyJo, but other kids) usually think that the world started spinning when they were born, and that's not the case. One cannot simply use the current POV on things that happened many decades ago. That's the joy of evolution.

I don't need to see more old offensive musicals that should be updated or retired permanently. I dont know how shows like this and the king and I, while beautifully sung, are able to succeed.

FYI Sarah Brightman still hasn't performed again...

I agreed with all of this, great set, great female lead, highlight - Too Darn Hot... more energy like that please....the rest was slow at times and the show needs much more energy and dance, tweaking for a new generation. What a waste of talent in Charlie Stemp he was hardly on the stage. 6 out of 10

I Hate Men or How to Demolish a Set with an Actress? Are the gangsters as comic when they find out about their boss?

Saw it last night. Very enjoyable but no way as good/ witty as Crazy for You. Dance routines were great but only two or three (?) and none between the main romantic leads. Charlie was so underused 😢 Sorry to be unwoke but is it now a regulation that you must have a ‘large’ chorus dancer and a ‘body positive’ Black lead singer (See also latest cast in Guys and Dolls)? Yawn. Never heard of Stephanie Block before but she was good and Adrian charmed the audience. 9:03

I mean receiving constructive criticism is welcome I’m sure, that being said keep doing what you’re doing, it’s your channel and yes it’s good to listen to what works and what doesn’t for your audience, yet the criticism seems to me more of a reflection on those specific people and the younger generations preferring/only being able to digest short, quick, meme-able content they can let their brain wonder and shut off while continuously scrolling through content until something has a hook or let’s face it click bait 😂 keep doing what you’re doing, what you enjoy, adapt to broaden your audience that is comfortable and natural to your unique style, but don’t change from what makes you and your channel successful for the sake of the minority 😊 🥰

I think you and me saw different shows.

Nitpicking here, but Adrian Dunbar is Irish rather than British.

I found this a fantastic production of a terrible show. Unfortunately the long Shakespeare scenes were so dull that the lady next to me fell asleep! I left unwell towards the end, and I was actually glad to leave because it was so boring

You are very good at reviewing but pls make it shorter to max 10 minutes. Just don’t have the patience to watch 30 - 45 mins warbling