* The blurring of reality and theater: The play constantly plays with the lines between the actors portraying characters in "Taming of the Shrew" and their own real-life relationships. This leads to a constant interplay of drama and comedy, where the actors' personal conflicts bleed into the play, and the play's themes mirror their own lives.
* Love and relationships: The story revolves around the complicated love lives of the main characters, especially Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, who are both in love and at odds with each other. The play explores the complexities of love, including jealousy, betrayal, and reconciliation.
* The power of performance: The play emphasizes the transformative power of theater and how actors can use their performances to express their emotions, escape reality, and find redemption.
* The nature of fame and ambition: The characters are driven by ambition and the desire for fame, which often leads to conflicts and compromises. The play questions the costs of pursuing fame and the sacrifices people make to achieve their goals.
* The battle of the sexes: The play utilizes Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" as a backdrop to explore themes of gender roles and power dynamics. Fred and Lilli's conflict mirrors the play within the play, highlighting both traditional and challenging views of relationships between men and women.
Overall, "Kiss Me Kate" is a witty and complex play that explores the human condition through the lens of theater. It is a celebration of the power of performance and a commentary on the complexities of love, relationships, and the pursuit of fame.