Rating:
Verdict: More commendable than enjoyable
Shakespeare s The Winter’s Tale is sometimes categorised as a ‘problem’ play. The problem is that some scholars think it’s an unhappy mix of tragedy and comedy.
All’s not well that doesn’t end as they like it, in the story of jealous King Leontes, who turns on his innocent wife, puts her on trial for adultery and abandons their newborn babe on a mountain.
The real problem, though, is how to help an audience enjoy a story that’s a freewheeling yarn playing fast and loose with time, space and a prophetic Oracle to achieve its magical conclusion.
It has been a hard coming for this RSC
Winter’s Tale but, mirroring the action of the play itself, considerable travail has brought forth a happy ending. Erica Whyman’s production was cancelled by the virus days before its premiere last spring, with plans to stage it in the autumn frustrated by the second lockdown.
It has been a hard coming for this RSC
Winter’s Tale but, mirroring the action of the play itself, considerable travail has brought forth a happy ending. Erica Whyman’s production was cancelled by the virus days before its premiere last spring, with plans to stage it in the autumn frustrated by the second lockdown. This broadcast version, retaining that original cast in full, is the first time that an RSC production has gone first to screen.
The Winter s Tale review – RSC and BBC film is a purist version of theatre on screen | Royal Shakespeare Company theguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.