The Winter's Tale

by William Shakespeare

seen at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on 9 March 2016

Michael Longhurst directs John Light (Leontes), Rachel Stirling (Hermione), Niamh Cusack (Paulina), Tia Bannon (Perdita), Steffan Donnelly (Florizel), David Yelland (Antigonus) and James Garnon (Autolycus) as part of a season of Shakespeare' four 'romance' plays.

It is interesting to compare this production with Kenneth Branagh's (reviewed in November 2015). The size and the ambience of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse make for a very different experience - the opening scenes seemed more intense, less stately, with Leontes prwoling in his jealousy far closer to this wife and friend. Meanwhile in the second half, Autolycus could interact far more directly with the audience, even purloining a pair of spectacles at one point to facilitate his 'disguise' as a courtier.

The Winter's Tale

by William Shakespeare

seen by live streaming from the Garrick Theatre on 26 November 2015

This is the first play of six presented by the Kenneth Branagh company at the Garrick in the West End. Directed by Branagh with Rob Ashford, it features Kenneth Branagh as Leontes, Miranda Raison as Hermione, Hadley Fraser as Polixenes, John Shrapnel as Camillo, Michael Pennington as Antigonus, Judi Dench as Paulina, Jessica Buckley as Perdita and Tom Bateman as Florizel. The set and costume design is by Christopher Oram.

Dressed notionally in the late nineteenth century, the opening scenes in Sicilia show the court in Christmas mode with carols and an opulent tree, warm lighting keeping out the winter cold. But all soon turns sour as Leontes mistakes his wife's admittedly rather flirtatious friendliness towards Polixenes as a sign of her adultery. He becomes ragingly jealous, arraigns Hermione for treason, disowns the baby girl born to her in prison, and refuses all reproof, pained from the courtiers or furious from Paulina, until calamity strikes with the death of his son and Hermione's collapse.