Kiss Me Kate Page #3

You will.

This is the tale of Baptista Minola.

A merchant of old Padua

who is firmly resolved not to bestow...

...his younger daughter Bianca...

...till he canst find a husband

for the elder, Katherine.

A shrew!

Oh, if I could only find a man who would

thoroughly woo her, wed her and bed her...

...and rid my house of her!

The fair Bianca has three stalwart suitors:

Gremio, Hortensio and Lucentio...

...who wouldst fain take the maid to wife.

- I burn.

- I pine.

I perish.

Till I alone canst wed the fair Bianca.

Sweet Bianca.

She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.

She looks as clean and fresh

as morning roses newly washed with dew.

To my father's pleasure, humbly I subscribe.

My books of music shall be

my only company...

...on them to look and practice by myself.

Ah, me.

A pity Katherine were not

of a gentler, milder mold.

But she is shrewd and forward

beyond all measure.

An irksome, brawling scold!

Bianca is my father's treasure.

She must have a husband

and for love of her...

...I must dance barefoot

on her wedding day.

Katherine, for shame.

Think on thy poor father.

Oh, was ever father thus grieved as I?

His grief will soon be put to rout.

A happy wind blows me, Petruchio,

to Padua from old Verona...

...for I am born to tame this Kate.

Kate the Cursed.

A title, for a maid, of all titles the worst!

Father!

- Poor child!

- She weeps!

- What is it, sweet Bianca?

- I'm a maid who wouldst marry.

- Any Tom?

- Dick?

- Or Harry?

- Any Harry, Tom or Dick!

Bianca! Bianca!

- Petruchio!

- Well, Lucentio!

What happy wind blows you to Padua

from old Verona?

Such wind as scatters young men through

the world to seek their fortunes.

- And you?

- I came to study.

I am glad that you thus combine your resolve

to suck the sweets of sweet philosophy...

...the mathematics and the botany.

Fall to them as your stomach serves.

No profit grows where is no pleasure taken.

In brief, sir, study.

As for me...

This gentleman is happily arrived.

Petruchio is too much my friend.

I cannot wish him a shrewd,

ill-tempered wife.

- But she is rich.

- And young and beauteous.

But shrewd, and forward

so beyond all measure...

...that were my state far poorer

than it is...

...I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

- Peace, Lucentio.

Thou knowest not gold's effect.

And therefore, if thou know one rich

enough to be Petruchio's wife...

...tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough.

- Her father is Baptista Minola.

- Her name, Katherine.

- Elder sister of the fair Bianca.

Bianca!

That is she.

An irksome, brawling scold.

Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?

Have I not in my time

heard great lions roar?

Have I not heard great ordnance in the field

and heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?

- Then you will woo this wildcat?

- Done.

Go you to old Baptista and say,

"I have a husband for Katherine."

Let's quaff carouses to this gentleman.

Sister! Sister! Wrong me not!

Content thee in my discontent!

Thou hilding of a devilish spirit, why dost

thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?

Her silence flouts me and I'll be revenged!

- Oh, was ever father thus grieved as I?

- A word with you, kind sir.

Importune me no further, for how

deeply I am resolved you know.

Whisper louder.

Oh, that is news. Good news!

Come in, Lucentio.

Lucentio, thou meacock wretch!

Katherine! Katherine!

Wonder of wonders!

A gentleman from Verona

desires you in marriage.

Then he'd best go back there!

Greetings, good sir. I hear you have a

daughter called Katherine, fair and virtuous.

- I have a daughter, sir, called Katherine.

- I am a gentleman from Verona, sir...

...that, hearing of her beauty and her wit,

her affability and bashful modesty...

...her wondrous qualities and mild behavior...

Mild behavior, am bold to make myself

a forward guest within your house...

...to make mine eye the witness

of that report which I so oft have heard.

I'm afraid my daughter Katherine

is not for your turn.

The more my grief.

- I see you do not mean to part with her.

- Mistake me not.

- Or else you like not of my company.

- You're more than welcome.

Well, then. What dowry

shall I have with her to wife?

- After my death, one half of my lands.

- The fertile part.

- So be it.

- And in possession?

- Twenty thousand crowns.

- Thirty.

- Thirty!

- Father!

Let specialities be therefore

drawn between us...

...that covenants

may be kept on either hand.

Go. Get thee to a notary.

Aye, when that special thing

is well-obtained...

...that is my love, for that is all in all.

Of all the men alive,

I never yet beheld that special face...

...which I could fancy

more than any other.

"To my darling, let my lovely..."

Lois?

It was not to her liking.

But that is nothing. For I tell you, Father,

I am as peremptory as she proud-minded...

...and where two raging fires meet, they do

consume the thing that feeds their fury.

I will attend her here and woo her

with some spirit when she comes.

- If she bids me pack, I'll give her thanks.

- I bid thee pack!

What's the matter, Fred?

Were thine that special face.

What have we here?

Some flowers from my daughter.

Talk. Talk.

Speak, Petruchio, speak.

Speak, Petruchio, though

thy message is not for me.

You louse!

Good morrow, Ka...

We're on-stage now, Lilli! Good morrow,

Kate, for that's your name, I hear.

Well have you heard,

but somewhat hard of hearing.

They call me Katherine

that do speak of me.

You lie, in faith,

for you are called Plain Kate...

...and Bonny Kate and

sometimes Kate the Cursed.

But Kate, the prettiest Kate

in Christendom.

Hearing thy mildness praised

in every town...

Thy virtue spoke of

and thy beauty sounded...

...myself am moved to woo thee

for my wife. Come. Sit on me.

Asses are made to bear

and so are you.

Women are made to bear

and so are you.

No such jade as bear

you with me, you mean.

Come, come.

- You wasp! I' faith, you are too angry.

- If I be too waspish, best beware my sting.

- My remedy, then, is to pluck it out.

- Aye, if the fool could find it where it lies.

Who knows not where a wasp

does wear his sting? In his tail.

I swear I'll cuff you if you strike again!

Keep on acting the way

you're doing, Miss Vanessi...

...and I'll give you the paddling

of your life, and on-stage.

- You wouldn't dare!

- No?

If you strike me, you're no gentleman.

- What is your crest, a coxcomb?

- A combless cock so Kate will be my hen.

Come, give me thy hands.

Come! And will you, nill you,

I will marry you.

For by this light whereby

I see thy beauty...

...thy beauty that doth make me

like thee well...

...thou must be married to no man but me.

For I am he

am born to tame you, Kate...

...and bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate

conformable as other household Kates.

Father! You devil.

Petruchio, how speed you

with my daughter?

How but well? It were impossible

I should speed amiss.

We have 'greed so well together

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