This production is part of a famous series produced by BBC of all of William Shakespeare's plays. The resulting films, renowned for their loyalty to the text, utilized the best theatrical and television directors and brought highly praised performances from leading contemporary actors.. This comic confrontation between the sexes is one of the most frequently-staged plays. Its sparkling wit and rich characterization are matched with an outstanding cast.. John Cleese of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers gives a portrayal of Petruchio that wins unanimous critical acclaim, praised as "an object lesson in serving Shakespeare to a present-day audience."