Sweeping across continents and generations, The Winter’s Tale has charmed audiences for over 450 years. Now, this fresh and passionate adaptation will combine the tightly-plotted excitement of a thriller with the mythic beauty of a fairytale to amaze audiences once more.
Set against a 20th century backdrop, drawing on distant echoes from the 1930s, The Winter’s Tale follows the story of a lost child, a jealous king, a beautiful statue and the most famous stage direction of all time.
The play begins in the court of King Leontes, who becomes obsessed with the idea that his best friend is having an affair with his wife. In a brief moment of intensity, he sees the two of them touching each other in a dubious way and presumes the worst.
The more he thinks about it, the more convinced of the affair he becomes. The idea starts running away with him. King Leontes kills his best friend and put his wife on trial. The play explores the power of the imagination to conjure up images that are entirely unreal. It makes the audience consider the line where reality ends and fantasy begins.
Shakespeare’s late, great romance weaves high drama and low comedy to tell a story of heartbreak, reunion and new found hope. The production’s lively choreography and music demonstrate the power of direct storytelling in a moving study of jealously, loss and the human capacity to forgive.
The national tour of The Winter’s Tale showcases one of the most adventurous young directors in the country, Simon Godwin, who has been closely associated with the great Rupert Goold. The Winter’s Tale will be Goodwin’s last major show before he joins the Bristol Old Vic as associate director.
Goodwin says that he believes The Winter’s Tale is particularly relevant for audiences in 2009, as it exposes issues like tyranny, as well as the nature of miracles and the magical.
He adds: “People used to call it a problem play because it mixes different styles but now I think that’s one of its great strengths.
“I think today’s audiences are ready for complex stories. I am excited by the chance to bring to life the tragic, the comic, the pastoral and the fairytale.
“I do think the study of tyranny is a very immediate concern for us right now – the way that people are manipulated politically for the tyrant’s gain. And I think we are always interested in miracles. What is a miracle for us in a secular world? Where do we access the sublime? The awesome? Shakespeare asks us to look at the greater horizon. The whole play feels like a spell which is designed to open our eyes to something bigger.”
IN THE KNOW
where: Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, Brayford Wharf
when: Thursday 22 October until Saturday 24 October
tickets: Full price £10, concessions available for £7
booking: Call the box office on 0844 888 4414, or drop into the LPAC box office located in the Engine Shed.
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