I saw a production of Taming of the Shrew where the characters were gender-swapped, the aesthetic was 80s glam hair rock, and Petruchio was the lead singer of a band that played original songs between scenes.
Also, Petruchio was played by an incredibly hot Asian actress, and she winked at me.
Tie for my favorite tbh:
Macbeth as a post-apocalyptic mad-max style warlord, in which every faction spoke a different language. Subtitles were not provided. As the play went on everyone became progressively more mutated from radiation until Lord and Lady Macbeth were rabid dogs (Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness was chillingly well-done) and Birnam wood was played by extras dressed as mutated trees. Deeply entertaining, incredible feat of costumes and makeup.
vs.
The Comedy of Errors that was the adaptaion “Boys From Syracuse” but rewritten to be in 1960′s route 66, played out on a stage that consisted of a single run-down hotel room where there had been a double (hah!) booking. Absolute Masterpiece of Physical comedy and stage managment becuase they gradually destroy the set as the play reaches it’s fever-pitch of confusion. The finale was sung while parts of the stage were on fire.
I love batshit insane interpretations of Shakespeare with a burning passion.
