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The modern production of "The Taming of the Shrew" I saw was at the Salisbury Playhouse. They had decided to set the production in the middle east, and due to the fact they had not changed the script, this setting was conveyed entirely by the set, props and costume. They use a rake stage with pillars along the back, and the set was painted with sandy colours and lit with strong white light to connote …

…artistic freedom to create very abstract sets. Because the Shakespearian plays were intended for a sparse set, a non-naturalist set frees the audiences eyes and perception to concentrate on the intricate plot and issued raised by it. Overall, the designer's role has dramatically increased and the design of a piece is integral to its interpretation. However, design still on the whole exists to be the backdrop to the actor's skills, rather than the main focus.