Kiss Me Kate, which opened originally in 1948, marked a critical and commercial comeback for its composer,
Cole Porter. The story was rather simple, and rather familiar -- a musical based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is about to open, if only the lead actors (a feuding, separated husband and wife team) can get along. Throughout the events that transpire, gangsters get involved, messages get passed to the wrong people and general mishaps ensue -- but all ends happily, as it should. Highlights of this lovely Porter score include "Another Op'nin', Another Show," "Wunderbar," "Always True to You in My Fashion," and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." A film version appeared in 1953 that was filmed in 3D and featured performances by
Howard Keel,
Kathryn Grayson,
Ann Miller and a small featured dance role by
Bob Fosse. It's scandalous that there hadn't been a Broadway revival of this Porter masterpiece as of 1987 (one finally arrived in 1999), but at least the British tried tried it, and here's the result: a cast led by Paul Jones and Nicola McAuliffe enthusiastically enunciating every delicious bit of wordplay, while a full orchestra plays the music beautifully. ~ William Ruhlmann and Sarah Erlewine