One of the rare finds in Meryl’s career is the 1981 documentary “Kiss Me, Petruchio”, a behind-the-scenes look at the Shakespeare in the Park production of “The Taming of the Shrew” in 1978, starring Raul Julia and Meryl Streep. As I’m sure many are interested in seeing more from this programme, a lenghty excerpt has been added to the video archive. New screencaptures in better quality (although quality is quite a word for an old 1980s tape) have been added to the image library as well.
Watching the documentary on “The Taming of the Shrew” reminds you of two things – first, what a great institution the Public Theater and its annual Shakespeare in the Park is. It opens its doors for the public to watch classic theater for free, boasting performances and plays that are still being mentioned for their brilliance decaded later. And secondly it shows why Meryl has been hailed for her stage work early on. Here, at 29 years old (the play was performed in 1978) she is energetic and intelligent in her interview – and a force of nature on the stage.
