The ultimate battle of the sexes is turned on its head in this ‘deftly provocative and exuberantly entertaining’ (The Times) production in which the 1590s are reimagined – with women in charge.
In this radical take on Shakespeare’s fierce and energetic comedy of gender, Baptista Minola is seeking to marry off her two sons, the sweet-tempered Bianco and the rebellious Katherine. Cue an explosive courtship and a keenly witty portrayal of hierarchy and control.
Taking inspiration from the novel The Power by Naomi Alderman, Justin Audibert directs a revelatory The Taming of the Shrew, set in a matriarchal world, with sumptuous Elizabethan costumes.
Duration: 3 hours including an interval
Mon 16 Dec
Post-show talk
Free to same-day ticket holders
Tue 17 Dec, 7.15pm
Audio-described and captioned performance with Touch Tour (5.15pm)
18–19 Jan
Weekend Lab led by Justin Audibert
Presented by the Barbican. The Royal Shakespeare Company is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and The Kovner Foundation. The RSC’s London production of The Taming of the Shrew is kindly supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and the London Community Foundation.
Creative team
Cast
Ticket prices
Includes a limited number of premium seats at £75*
Multi-buy discount: £30 off when you buy a Premium or Band A ticket for all three RSC 2019 productions at the same time.
Offer available until 28 May. Discounted tickets subject to availability.
Groups
£39.50 for Monday to Friday performances for groups of 10+.
Families
Up to 4 under 18s tickets at half price with every full price ticket. Valid for Monday to Thursday performances. Up to a maximum of 8 per booking – not available on Premium Seats.
Schools, Colleges and Universities
£18 tickets for UK schools (£16 for RSC Education Members) available for Monday to Thursday performances. £25 tickets (£18 for RSC Education Members) for UK colleges or universities. 1 free teacher’s ticket is available for every 10 students. £25 tickets for International schools, colleges and universities.
Over 60s
20% off for Monday and Tuesday evenings and midweek matinee performances. Maximum of 9 per transaction.
16–25 Year olds
20 tickets at £5 available for every performance for individuals aged between 16 and 25. Available over the phone or in person. Individuals must make the booking themselves, maximum two per person. All tickets will be held for collection at the Box Office until one hour before the performance when proof of ID will be required.
Access
Visitors with access requirements who have joined our Access Membership scheme may be eligible for reductions on tickets. Please inform the Box Office of your access requirements when booking, and our staff will advise you on seating, pricing, car parking and our facilities. For Minicom facilities, call 07710 854 085.
Exclusions apply. Discounts are not available on lowest price tickets and are subject to availability. Discounts do not apply to associated talks, films or workshops. They cannot be combined to make greater savings.
A limited number of £10 day seats are available in person at the Barbican Box Office from 10:30am on the day of the performance.
All discounts are subject to availability, at the discretion of the RSC/Barbican Box Office and can be withdrawn at any time. Discounted tickets cannot be booked in conjunction with any other discount or offer.
Booking fees
£3 booking fee per online transaction, £4 by phone.
No fee when tickets are booked in person.
Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. Booking fees do not currently apply to bookings for exhibitions in the Art Gallery. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events.
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Barbican Theatre
Location
The Barbican Theatre is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level.
Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Mobility
Spaces for wheelchair users in the rear of the Stalls (four) and row B of the upper circle (four), both with companion seats. Row B is reached via a platform lift, and staff will be happy to help you. Seats in the back row of the Stalls are suitable for people with limited mobility.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the theatre – please tell us when booking, to ensure your seat has enough space. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the cloakroom staff during the performance.
Sign language
For our occasional BSL-signed performances. Stalls seats close to the signer are reserved for people with hearing impairments. Please book early and ask for these seats.
Captioned performances
These display the full text of the play on a screen as the actors speak the words. Seats with the best view of the screen are reserved for people with hearing impairments, so please book early and ask for these seats.
Audio-described performances and amplified sound
Headsets are available from the sales kiosk outside the Stalls Right entrance to the theatre
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
