August 30 – September 2. The Youth Music Theatre's unique musical adaptation of Shakespeare's problem play A Winter's Tale hits all the right notes, says Aliya Al Hassan
A Winter’s Tale is traditionally known as one of Shakespeare’s ‘problem plays’. It jumps rather bizarrely from dark tragedy to rustic comedy, moving to romance before reaching its magical conclusion. Reviews for Blanche McIntyre’s recent version at Shakespeare’s Globe were lukewarm at best, showing that it is a brave and challenging choice for any director. Adapted by Howard Goodall and Nick Stimson, this new musical interpretation based on the play is a homage to youthful enthusiasm and talent.
Leontes, the king of Sicilia, becomes paranoid about the relationship between Hermione and his best bro, King Polixenes of Bohemia. (Leontes indelibly condemns the pregnant Hermione as a “bed-swerver.”) In just a few moments and on no evidence but sighs, his fear of being cuckolded mutates into something far worse: the uncheckable rage of a rash and powerful man.
Despite the furious intervention of Paulina, his warped will cannot be diverted: Hermione must be tried for treason. That’s what kills the prince — and soon, after delivering a baby daughter, who is banished, Hermione dies, too. By the time Leontes realizes his error, it’s too late.
A normal tragedy would end right there, but after the intermission “The Winter’s Tale” leaps 16 years, thousands of miles and several genres to become a pastoral comedy set in Bohemia. The famous “exit pursued by a bear” scene serves as the hinge between the two theatrical worlds, and we now spend an hour or so with the requisite rubes, light-fingered scalawags, misallied lovers and sheepshearing hoydens.
But before we can fully identify what happened to the plot, which involves the banished baby and her adoptive family, we are uprooted once again. Back to Sicilia we go, for a denouement that is all melodrama and magic. Hermione, apparently preserved all these years as a statue and now brought back to life by Paulina, is reunited with her lost daughter and humbled husband. Whether it counts as a happy ending may depend on how long it takes you to stop trying to make sense of it.
Will Keen as Leontes is human and haunted and he balances the right amount of humour and tragedy in his portrayal of the flawed king. But it's the women which really come off well in this production, with McIntyre emphasising their forcefulness, eloquence and wisdom. From Priyanga Burford's strong-willed and ultimately loving Hermione to Sirine Saba's Paulina who is angry and raw as she rails at the king. Saba has a forceful physicality as she shouts and pleads at him to get his act together and see what he is doing to himself and his loved ones.
Becci Gemmell flexes fine comedy muscles as peddler Autolycus and both the young lovers are the epitome of innocence and bravura, with Norah Lopez-Holden's Perdita radiating uncomplicated confidence which enables her to mix easily with both kings and paupers.
Ultimately the Herculean task of adapting one of Shakespeare's most problematic plays is skilfully navigated by a cast whose talent and professional maturity belie their young age. Given the musical notes that ring constant and true throughout his writing, The Bard would likely approve of such mellifluous complications to his work.
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