Funny / The Taming of the Shrew

• The (onscreen or offscreen, depending on the adaptation) wedding scene. Petruchio shows up in what can only be described as "get-up" (sometimes involving the most phallic cod-piece known to man), accompanied by Grumio, looking equally ridiculous. Undaunted by everyone's shock and embarrassment, he runs in and marries Kate in the most absurd manner possible, then proceeds to kidnap her before anyone can go to the reception.
• After the Zany Scheme of the subplot finally blows up, everyone involved except Lucentio just books it rather than hang around to explain. It's even funnier when you have the script in hand:
  Exit BIONDELLO, TRANIO and Pedant, as fast as may be.
• Hortensio's monologue about getting hit with the lute.
  Baptista: Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?
  Hortensio: Why, no; for she hath broke the lute to me.
  I did but tell her she mistook her frets,
  And bow'd her hand to teach her fingering;
  When, with a most impatient devilish spirit,
  'Frets, call you these?' quoth she; 'I'll fume with them:'
  And, with that word, she struck me on the head,
  And through the instrument my pate made way;
  And there I stood amazed for a while,
  As on a pillory, looking through the lute;
  While she did call me rascal fiddler
  And twangling Jack; with twenty such vile terms,
  As had she studied to misuse me so.
  • Petruchio's incredibly turned-on reaction deserves special mention as well.
  Now, by the world, it is a lusty wench;
  I love her ten times more than e'er I did:
  O, how I long to have some chat with her!
• During the wedding scene in the Zeffirelli version, as Petruchio and Kate make their wedding vows, Kate blurts out, "I WILL N–!", only to be Kissed Mid-Sentence by Petruchio. The priest, sensing trouble, hastily pronounces them man and wife as the kiss takes place.
• Petruchio tries to butter Baptista up by flattering Kate, but her father is all too aware of what kind of woman she is. Live productions usually punctuate the exchange with an extremely pregnant Beat or Aside Glance.
  Petruchio: Pray, have you not a daughter
  Call'd Katherina, fair and virtuous?
  Baptista: I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katherina.
• A 2005 production for Oakbrook, Illinois' First Folio sets it in the Old West with the Running Gag of Grumio entering scenes dressed like classic Old Western movie characters like John Wayne or Gary Cooper. It all builds up to "The William Tell Overture" playing and he enters in a hat, familiar blue outfit and a mask while everyone just gives "what the hell?" looks.

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