The Haslemere Players’ production of Kiss Me, Kate is a lively, sharp, and thoroughly entertaining take on Cole Porter’s classic. Under Sally Waghorn’s confident direction, the production delivers big laughs, fabulous musical numbers, and cleverly invites the audience to laugh along at the play’s more outdated themes.

The plot follows a theatre company putting on a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Leading the production are ex-spouses Lilli Vanessi (Dawn Stephens) and Fred Graham (Peter Coxon), whose offstage romantic tension mirrors the fiery relationship between their characters, Katherine and Petruchio. As the drama unfolds onstage and off, misunderstandings, egos, and a pair of bumbling gangsters — who steal the show even as they threaten to derail the production — create chaos. But love, in true musical fashion, ultimately wins the day.

Dawn Stephens absolutely owns the stage as Lilli, bringing both steel and vulnerability to a role that could easily slip into cliché. Her rendition of “I Hate Men” is a standout — biting, funny, and delivered with just enough wink to make you root for her even more. Peter Coxon is charismatic as Fred, but the production wisely doesn’t let him get away with being too domineering.

The choreography is crisp, the costumes and set are gorgeous, and the supporting cast brings real energy to the ensemble numbers. Waghorn leans into the comedy rather than the romance, making the show feel more like a playful send-up than a straight endorsement of its Shakespearean roots.

As Waghorn put it: “This play pokes fun at the ridiculous nature of misogyny” — and in doing so, brings the audience in on the joke.

The Haslemere Players deliver a stylish, high-energy show that knows exactly what it’s doing. Running from March 25 to 29 at Haslemere Hall, it’s clever, funny, and packed with catchy tunes — book your tickets now!