The Taming of the Shrew. William Shakespeare
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GREMIO
And me too, good Lord.
TRANIO (aside to LUCENTIO)
That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.
LUCENTIO (aside to TRANIO, gazing at BIANCA)
But in the other’s silence do I see
Maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio.
TRANIO (aside to LUCENTIO)
Well said, master, and gaze your fill.
BAPTISTA (gesturing upstage rear)
Bianca, get you in.
KATHERINE
A pretty peat!
BIANCA
Sister, content you in my discontent.
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe.
Exit BIANCA to bench.
BAPTISTA
Katherine, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca.
ALL onstage say, “Aww,” reacting to BIANCA’S cuteness.
BIANCA stands blushingly, with a little curtsy, and then sits back down on her bench.
Exit BAPTISTA to his bench, taking BIANCA with him.
KATHERINE
I may go too, may I not? Ha!
Exit KATHERINE to her bench. Before leaving, she stops, turns around, lunges toward group onstage, and roars.
ALL onstage yell in terror.
GREMIO
You may go to the devil’s dam!
HORTENSIO
There’s small choice in rotten
apples. By helping Baptista’s eldest daughter
to a husband we set his youngest free for a husband.
Sweet Bianca!
ALL onstage swoon and say, “Aww.”
BIANCA stands to reprise her blush and curtsy, then sits back down.
He that runs fastest gets the ring.
How say you, Signior Gremio?
GREMIO
I am agreed. Come on.
Exit GREMIO and HORTENSIO to their benches.
TRANIO and LUCENTIO come center stage.
TRANIO
I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible
That love should of a sudden take such hold?
LUCENTIO (gazing over audience, thinking of BIANCA)
Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air.
TRANIO (to audience)
Nay, then ’tis time to stir him from his trance.
TRANIO snaps his fingers in front of LUCENTIO’S eyes. There is no response. TRANIO claps his hands.
I pray, awake, sir!
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd
That till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home.
LUCENTIO
But art thou not advised he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?
TRANIO (thinking)
Ay, marry, am I, sir—and now ’tis plotted!
You will be schoolmaster
And undertake the teaching of the maid.
Take my colored hat and cloak.
LUCENTIO and TRANIO exchange clothes and exit to their benches.
Padua, the town square.
Stage right are a FRUIT VENDOR and a FLOWER VENDOR.
Stage left are a WIDOW and the WIDOW’S DATE.
Stage left center is HORTENSIO,dozing in a chair.
Enter PETRUCHIO and his man GRUMIO from stage rear. GRUMIO carries PETRUCHIO’S bag.
PETRUCHIO grabs a flower from the FLOWER VENDOR’S basket. She tries to stop him, but he keeps moving. While the FRUIT VENDOR and the FLOWER VENDOR are watching PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO grabs an apple from the FRUIT VENDOR’S basket.
PETRUCHIO gives the flower to the WIDOW, who blushes.
The WIDOW’S DATE becomes flustered, buys a bunch of flowers from the FLOWER VENDOR, and gives them to the WIDOW.
Meanwhile, PETRUCHIO walks stage left to where HORTENSIO is napping.
PETRUCHIO (to GRUMIO )
Verona, for a while I take my leave
To see in Padua
ALL onstage and offstage cheer with the exception of PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO, and HORTENSIO.
My best beloved friend, Hortensio.
Here, sirrah Grumio, knock, I say.
GRUMIO looks around, confused, and holds his fists up, ready to fight.
GRUMIO
Knock, sir? Whom should I knock? Is there
any man has rebused your Worship?
PETRUCHIO
Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.
GRUMIO
Knock you here, sir?
GRUMIO looks around him, glances at audience, shrugs, and winds up as if to punch PETRUCHIO.
PETRUCHIO sees what GRUMIO is about