Kiss Me Kate (2003)

Love Marin and Brian together!

I had the good fortune to see the production on Broadway! Fabulous. Love the two of them together. You will love the performance. I also saw them in "Ragtime" together on Broadway. What extradinary voices they both have. Together they are dynamite!!!! May 12, 2008

Kiss Me Kate" Broadway Revival

This play is top rate. Although I didn't like the General he was too broad and the song he sang, I do not think was in the original score. December 22, 2007

Another Opening, another show

I remember seeing Alfred Drake ant Patrice Munsel in this show as a young child. I also have the Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson Movie version from 1953 and though I love that version, this one feels better to me. It is a well produced video of a live production of the latest revival of this delightful production. Brent Barrett plays Graham/Petruchio with just the right amount of acerbic wit, Rachel York is a delightful Lilli Vanessi/Kate and the chemistry betwen the two of them is fantastic. Teh rest of the cast is supurb. January 10, 2007

Flat and mostly overacted

I had higher expectations when I purchased this DVD.
I was not disappointed technically but I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the acting as a whole and with the uneven singing of Rachel York. She couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted a pop, jazz, or traditional musical theatre sound. Her voice was all over the place. Furthermore, I found her character very annoying...she was screechy and not at all vunerable. I preferred Kathryn Grayson's performance in the movie as she managed to be vunerable, witty, and charming, as well as screechy, demanding, and somewhat tyrannical. Truly, I could barely watch this entire video and at the end I could have cared less if Fred and Lilli got together. I think that was the most powerful statement for me.
The production was acted (or directed) with a lot of mugging and so much of it was over the top. Can today's directors PLEASE leave something for the audience to think about and figure out themselves? Everything need not be a commentary!
I wish I had seen Marin Mazzie because I heard she was incredible. Rent this before buying it or better yet do what I did and buy it used. It hardly cost anything and that is what is it worth. April 21, 2006

Amazingly well done

I first watched this performance on PBS Great Performances. It is amazing. I'm very happy to finally find a complete version of the stage show on DVD. Rachel York does a top-notch performance in the leading role. The rest of the cast is up to par. There have been other reviews that say the music is dated, or other such nonsense, but do not pay heed to them. Premiered in 1948, the musical is based on The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare), and the music and lyrics are done by Cole Porter. Sometimes referred to as his masterpiece (which I agree with), the production never drags or disappoints. The lyrics are extremely witty (a trademark of Porter). The music keeps you humming along for days. March 9, 2006

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