The Winter's Tale (2018)
The Winter’s Tale is Shakespeare’s great play of the irrational and inexplicable. Director Blanche McIntyre expertly guides us through the play’s uncontrollable emotions – rage, love, grief and forgiveness – ranging across gender, country, class and age.
‘It is required you do awake your faith.’
A ‘winter’s tale’ is a fantasy, and The Winter’s Tale is Shakespeare’s great play of the irrational and inexplicable. The play’s uncontrollable emotions – rage, love, grief and forgiveness – range across gender, country, class and age. Its universe is full of monsters, gods and natural disasters, and its colossal sweep takes us from stifling courts to unbuttoned festivals.
Blanche McIntyre directs this tragicomedy with Will Keen (Ghosts, Almeida, The Crown, Netflix) will star as Leontes alongside Annette Badland (EastEnders, BBC, Hung Over, Royal Court) as Old Shepherd, Priyanga Burford (Consent, National Theatre) as Hermione, Sirine Saba (Goats, Royal Court) as Paulina and Oliver Ryan (Glengarry Glen Ross, West End) as Polixenes.
Synopsis
In a fit of groundless jealousy, Leontes wrecks his marriage, defies the gods, destroys his family and ruins himself. As the years roll around, a new generation flee their own country and take refuge in Sicilia. Unknowingly they bring with them the key to the past, present and future…
Cast
Annette Badland
Old Shepherd
Zora Bishop
Emilia
Adrian Bower
Camillo
Priyanga Burford
Hermione
Becci Gemmell
Autolycus
Will Keen
Leontes
Norah Lopez-Holden
Perdita
Luke MacGregor
Florizel
Jordan Metcalfe
Young Shepherd
Oliver Ryan
Polixenes
Sirine Saba
Paulina
Howard Ward
Antigonus
Rose Wardlaw
Mamillius/Time
Creatives
Writer
William Shakespeare
Director
Blanche McIntyre
Designer
James Perkins
Assistant Director
Ed Madden
Composer
Stephen Warbeck
Costume Supervisor
Natalie Pryce
Voice
Sarah Case