Kathy Marks, The Guardian

March 4, 2014

The Winter’s Tale – with its magical realism and mix of tragedy and comedy – is often ignored in favour of better known works, but this neglect provides all the more reason for its revival.

Lords and nobles, implausible coincidences and a statue that springs to life – The Winter’s Tale conjures a world which could seem unrecognisable. Yet at its heart, says John Bell, director of a new production opening this week, is an all-too contemporary theme: domestic violence.

“I think it resonates especially for men who’ve abused their partners in the past and are facing up to it,” reflects the founder of Bell Shakespeare, pointing to the 16 years of “hard penance” served by Leontes, king of Sicily, whose destructive jealousy has led to the deaths of his wife and (so he believes) both his children. […continued]

The Winter’s Tale

BY William Shakespeare
DIRECTOR John Bell
DESIGNER Stephen Curtis
LIGHTING DESIGNER Matthew Marshall
COMPOSER & MUSICAL DIRECTOR Alan John
DRAMATURG John Kachoyan

WITH  Liana Cornell, Michelle Doake, Philip Dodd, Felix Jozeps, Dorian Nkono, Otis Pavlovic, Myles Pollard, Rory Potter, Terry Serio, Justin Smith & Helen Thomson

0000