The Taming of the Shrew is essentially a play conveying many themes through one plot. The principal outline of the story shows a protective father (Baptista) allowing one of his daughters, Bianca; very pretty, very intelligent and supposedly the `model' wife of the time, to get married, only when his eldest daughter, Katherina; feisty, loud - the opposite to Bianca and certainly not portrayed to the audience at the beginning as a model wife, has also done so.

There are a number of men (Lucentio, Hortensio and Gremio) who have seen Bianca, and have instantly made it their aim to make her their wife. However they have also heard of Baptista's `rule' that has meant none of them have any chance with her until her elder sister is married. Luckily they find Petruchio who is looking for a wife for money and nothing else. Petruchio accepts the challenge...