To mark 15 years working in theatre and with young people, Intermission Youth (IY) one of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies presents Taming Who? at the Arcola Theatre. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, this special anniversary production, adapted by IY’s award-winning Artistic Director Darren Raymond, will be performed by graduates of its Youth Theatre training programme (IYT), now working professionally across stage and screen.
This fast-paced Shakespeare remix interweaves 400-year-old verse with new dialogue to give fresh relevance, challenges gender stereotypes presented in Shakespeare’s original and explores identity and coming of age through the lens of youth culture in London today.
Petruchio is studying at university and loving London life. An unexpected call from Mum, beckoning him back home to Nigeria, requires him to think on his feet and fast. What could he say to make her change her mind? “Mum I’m married!”. Overjoyed by this news, Mum agrees to let him stay and announces her arrival in London – in 3 days – to meet her….. Mortified, Petruchio needs to find a wife and fast!
The production, staged from 30 November to 14 December, will be directed by Stevie Basaula best known for his role in EastEnders as Isaac Baptiste (he also appeared in SKY’S Bulletproof and various roles at the RSC including Macbeth and Merry Wives of Windsor) and a former Intermission Youth Theatre alumnus.
The 11-strong cast includes Keon Martial-Philip (PARK THEATRE, HULU, Netfilx’s Supacell); Donnavan Yates (Witness For The Prosecution, COUNTY HALL, THE ALBANY, SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE); Sara Mokonen (The Jungle PLAYHOUSE THEATRE); Tre Medley (Compositor E OMNIBUS THEATRE, Othello and The Importance of Being Ernest CHANGELING THEATRE). Making their professional stage debuts are Megan Samuel (Joan 2024 ITVX), Tane Siah, Chadrack Mbuini (Lies of Our Confines, Discovery Plus 2024) Rakiya Hasan (ITV’s Riches), Kai Jerdioui, Sian-Leigh Moore and Morenike Onajobi.
Stevie Basuala says: “It’s a real 360 moment directing the same piece that I explored as a young and inexperienced actor, nervously but eagerly making my stage debut almost 10 years ago. So much has changed for me since then, but sadly, so much of the themes Shakespeare aimed to tackle remain the same. I look forward to finding new ways to address but honour his problematic classic in my directorial debut.”
Taming Who? forms part of Intermission Youth’s 15-year anniversary season of work. Since its inception in 2008, the organisation has been creating reimagined Shakespeare plays using theatre and exploring the Bard’s work to engage young, marginalised people lacking in opportunity. The annual 10-month drama training programme (IYT) which culminates in a fully realised stage production, performed by a cohort of young people, also forms part of this year’s anniversary season at the Arcola Theatre.
This year’s cohort production, titled Excluded is a powerful piece of new-writing which transplants Shakespeare’s most iconic characters into a classroom setting whilst highlighting current issues facing young people in education. The production will also run from 29 November to 16 December, including the Gala Night. The play is programmed to sit alongside the graduates/professional’s production.
