The Taming of the Shrew as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant, and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition between the suitors of Katherina's younger sister, Bianca, who is seen as the "ideal" woman. The question of whether the play is misogynistic or not has become the subject of considerable controversy, particularly among modern scholars, audiences, and readers. "The Taming of the Shrew" has been adapted numerous times for stage, screen, opera, ballet, and musical theatre; perhaps the most famous adaptations being Cole Porter's "Kiss Me, Kate" and the 1967 film of the play, starring Elizabeth Taylor and
The Taming of the Shrew in performance ultimately decided against it "because the actual words in the old edition are so corrupt as to be illiterate." In a 1935 production starring Catherine Lacey and Neil Porter, director Ben Iden Payne became the first to use the "A Shrew" epilogue in a performance of "The Shrew" at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, with Roy Byford initially playing Sly, followed by Jay Laurier. Both actors received excellent reviews for their performances. The most successful early-twentieth century staging was the 1935/1936 Theatre Guild production, which began on Broadway and subsequently toured all over North America. Starring husband and wife Alfred Lunt