A Winter's Tale

Synopsis

Set in the contrasting locations of the stark northern climate of an old-style Soviet state and the relaxed warmth of the Mediterranean, comedy and tragedy walk hand in hand towards the most extraordinary and unexpected of conclusions.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 13 November 2012

There;s not a word of Shakespeare in Howard Goodall's entrancing musical version of this beautiful play, so he's probably entitled to change the definite article in the title to the indefinite, thereby allowing his librettist, Nick Stimson, a full-blown “adaptation” credit.

The story is followed pretty closely, though much more is made of the rival regimes in Sicily and Bohemia, with greatcoats, goose-steps and march-pasts in the first act, and Queen Ekatarina (the re-named Hermione) insisting that “love is not a rapture - it’s who we are.”

At least that’s an advance on “Love means never having to say you’re sorry,” the dread epigraph in Love Story, Goodall’s last musical theatre outing, which somehow mistook passion for prim proselytising-song.

This score is far less constrained by clinical decorum or even good taste; it’s a big, baggy, seductive collection of marches and ballads,...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

Rosemary - 17 November 2012:

Absolutely loved this production. Engaging, emotive, fun and worked brilliantly as a musical version of Shakespeare. Go and see it!...

Read more and add your own review