Shakespeare - The Winter's Tale / Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre

It is a bit of a cliché to call A Winter's Tale a problematic play, but I'll confess I've always found it more interesting than truly masterful. This production, however, solves most of the problems I find just reading the words on the page. Of particular note is Antony Sher's Leontes, who manages to make the monarch's lightning turn from loving husband to jealous madman credible (as seemingly difficult as successfully carrying off Richard III's wooing of Lady Anne), and so well does this production sustain the tension that, when Hermione's death is announced near the end of the third act, the impact is visceral in its power. Acts IV and V, of course, display a radical shift in tone, but here the shepherd's interlude is genuinely entertaining (as opposed to tedious), helped in no small measure by Ian Hughes' scene-stealing turn as Autolycus. I was curious how the bear effect and disguises were going to be handled, and though I feared the worst, I was pleasantly surprised in both instances. This leaves only the resolution in Act V that I find (from the source material) rather drawn-out and silly; I understand it is only a "tale," but I just don't believe it really works. This production does nothing to change that view, although I'll freely admit, the fault is probably mine (it must be, since this is often called one of the most touching scenes in the canon). On the whole, this is about as good a filmed Shakespearean stage production as I have seen, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to those interested in the play. One quibble: there is no subtitle option, which would be useful were I ever to decide to teach the play in the future.

Last night I watched this new DVD of The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare. Until recently, the BBC version was the only one on DVD, and it is a perfectly serviceable production of this minor play. But this new DVD of the 1998/1999 Royal Shakespeare Company version is much better. I would have enjoyed it more if it were about a half hour shorter. In Shakespeare's day, when you went to the theater that was probably the only entertainment you saw in a week, and you wanted it to last. This play has it all: tragedy, comedy, romance, singling, dancing, music, and stand-up comedy. Today we have shorter attention spans. What can you say about a Shakespeare play in which the most famous lines are a scene setting: "Bohemia, a seacoast" and a stage direction: "Exit, pursued by a bear"? But the Royal Shakespeare Company make the most of both the pathos and the comic turns.

The acting in this version of Winter's Tale was great, especially the character of Hermione. The video quality was good enough that it didn't hinder the experience. (Watching a play being acted is just different than watching a movie.) About halfway through I was abruptly reminded that Shakespeare was sometimes a bawdy bard!! I felt this interpretation of the play to be within the realm of what might have actually been performed, but if you're easily offended, or if you plan to share this with kids, you'll want to preview it first.

Shakespeare - The Winter's Tale / Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Theatre I'm no fan of productions of Shakespeare's plays that employ modern settings, or period settings that are clearly later than the time setting of the play itself. This RSC production of The Winter's Tale is, judging by costume, clearly set in the period 1890-1914, so that references to the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, "Sicilia", "Bohemia" are distracting anachronisms. All the same, Hermione and Perdita are well played, and once one gets used to the fact that one is seeing a film of a staged play things go along fairly well. Autolycus steals the show, I'm afraid. He is very entertaining, but as an embodiment of the principle of error, surrender to the impulses of "stronger blood," he cannot be taken seriously, and so the play's central theme which binds the last two acts to the first three is not well served. Nevertheless I liked the DVD well enough to use it in my undergraduate Shakespeare class.

This filmed stage recording is indeed magical. I believe a former critic's particular critique in this regard should be regarded in the light of two distinguishing characteristics of Shakespeare on film: whether the production is a film interpretation or a filmed stage production. This DVD is the latter: over-the-top FX, panoramic view and the like don't necessarily apply. Here one has the magic of being in the audience at a grand performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company, with the added pleasure of being granted close-ups! The acting is all-around sublime, especially Ian Hugh's Autolycus; I've yet to see a rogue interpreted better.For a contrast of what can be accomplished with Shakespeare as film interpretation versus filmed stage production, compare Orson Welles' Othello with Richard Burton's Hamlet (both available through Amazon); both, I believe, are the ideal of each venue.

Every term my children and I read and watch a Shakespeare play. This term's play was The Winter's Tale. Unfortunately, there are very few productions of this play available. I bought this one based on reviews here. We are familiar with the bawdiness in his plays, especially the comedies and romances. Usually the lines or gestures go right over my children's heads, but I should have previewed this one. In Act IV there is a dance at the shepherd's that goes a bit too far. We were all quite embarrassed and I quickly fast forwarded past that part. Otherwise, the acting is well done and we enjoyed it.

NEED ENGLISH CAPTIONS.

Superb and revealing production of a lesser-known Shakespeare play. One truly major strength: Anthony Sher's amazing performance made the psychological transitions of Leontes' character understandable and real, resolving some of my mind's questions after having read the text without seeing the play enacted.

What can I say. This is absolutely brilliant. Sher at his best.I am, unashamedly, a Sher fan, and so far he has done no wrong. This production, with very few cuts, is without doubt the best version at this moment in time. Sher's ferocious jealousy, Alexandra Gilbreath's complete breakdown, and Sher's swoon are genuinely shocking moments. And yet it still manages to include humour, with Ian Hughes as the con man (Don't ask me to give the name of the character, but you know who I mean) extremely funny.So again I cannot reccomend this enough.

Un'edizione del dramma di Shakespeare veramente meravigliosa. Il quarto atto è straordinario.

Not the best version I have seen.

EXCELLENT ACTING - A STORY OF JEALOUSY AND MISGUIDED RAGE - SHAKESPEAREAN STYLISTICS.

I'm really happy that there's a dvd version of this rare late shakesperean "romance" play available. It's a fascinating play, including themes of forgiveness and the renewal brought about by young love. This dvd version certainly had some highlights. Autolycus the thief was lively and incredibly funny. The other "pastoral" characters, including the shepherds were also strong. Paulina, with her loyal devotion to Hermione and her understandable chastising of Leontes, was also played by a very talented actress. However, I found Leontes and Hermione to be quite disappointing despite some critics' praises. Hermione seemed to spend the entire play in kind of a stupor. That may be understandable in some parts, such as when she's first accused of infidelity with no evidence whatsoever, but she seemed dazed even in more jovial moments. I saw a live stage performance of this play where Leontes' jealousy was portrayed as some kind of subtle sickness, almost as if Leontes had a little mini Iago in his own head. In this production, he came across as being over-the-top unstable and crazed. This play is still worth seeing, especially considering there aren't many versions available. Just don't expect to be blown away by all of the actors' performances.