▁ideas ▁of ▁gender ▁difference ▁[...] ▁the ▁production ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁serves ▁to ▁legit imat ise ▁the ▁domestic ation ▁of ▁women ." ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁BBC ▁Television ▁Service ▁screen ed ▁a ▁live ▁adaptation ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁Sunday ▁Night ▁Theatre ▁series , ▁directed ▁by ▁Des mond ▁Davis ▁and ▁st arring ▁Margaret ▁John ston ▁and ▁Stanley ▁Baker . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁N BC ' s ▁Hall mark ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁screen ed ▁the ▁first ▁colour ▁television ▁adaptation , ▁directed ▁by ▁George ▁Sch ae fer , ▁and ▁st arring ▁L illi ▁Pal mer ▁and ▁Maurice ▁Evans ▁( who ▁also ▁produced ). ▁The ▁initial ▁script ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Michael ▁Hog an , ▁who ▁included ▁the ▁Ind u ction , ▁and ▁kept ▁S ly ▁on ▁stage ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁show , ▁which ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁him ▁be ating ▁his ▁own ▁wife , ▁much ▁to ▁the ▁delight ▁of ▁the ▁actors ▁who ▁have ▁just ▁performed ▁for ▁him . ▁This ▁script , ▁however , ▁was ▁heavily ▁re written ▁by ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁producer ▁William ▁Nich ols , ▁who ▁removed ▁the ▁frame . ▁The ▁production ▁instead ▁opens ▁with ▁Gr um io ▁( J er ome ▁Kil ty ) ▁address ing ▁the ▁camera ▁directly , ▁ ▁inv iting ▁the ▁audience ▁to ▁view ▁the ▁" antic ▁players ." ▁A ▁comm edia ▁dell ' arte - style ▁production , ▁K ather ina ▁and ▁Pet ru chio ▁first ▁meet ▁in ▁a ▁box ing ▁ring , ▁with ▁their ▁initial ▁encounter , ▁literally , ▁turning ▁into ▁a ▁box ing