"But he loves me . . . to death”. An Interview with Director Tonio De Nitto and Translator-Adaptor Francesco Niccolini about their Staging of La Bisbetica Domata (The Taming of the Shrew) for Factory Compagnia Transadriatica

The author interviews director Tonio De Nitto and translator-adaptor Francesco Niccolini about their staging of La Bisbetica Domata – an Italian adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew produced by Factory Compagnia Transadriatica in 2015 and performed in numerous national and international venues ever since. Tapping into Factory’s deep-rooted attachment to their Apulian residency and De Nitto’s longstanding fascination with Shakespearean drama, the interview delves into the semiotics and semantics of the adaptation, discussing the challenges and the interpretative stances arising from Niccolini’s translation in rhyming couplets and De Nitto’s ‘Burtonian’ staging, marked by thought-provoking casting choices, dismal soundtracks, and meaning-laden scenic, light, and costume designs.