The Winter's Tale Chicago Shakespeare Theater






The Winter’s Tale

Review by Rory Leahy Most Shakespeare fans probably know his two most common genres were tragedies (everyone dies at the end) and comedies (everyone gets married at the end) Lesser known are in between plays like The Winter’s Tale that are often characterized as “romances” for their tonal mixture and fairy tale qualities. In the current Chicago Shakespeare Theater production, King Leontes (Demetrios Troy, what an appropriately Shakespearean name!) becomes violently jealous of his childhood friend and fellow king (it’s a big club, and you ain’t in it), Polixenes (Chike Johnson), convinced he is having an affair with Leontes’ wife, Hermione (Jessica Dean Turner). This leads him to order Polixenes killed and subject Hermione to a cruel and humiliating public trial, along with all manner of other tyrannical activities. The main plot resembles that of Shakespeare’s more famous Othello and Much Ado About Nothing, in which jealous, paranoid men license themselves to subject blameless women to brutal and ugly mistreatment, but in some ways it is a purer portrait of those dark impulses. Leontes needs no malicious Iago or Don John to whisper in his ear, his behavior springs fully from his own insecure imagination. The ensemble (which is also starring in the upcoming Midsummer Night’s Dream in repertory) delivers beautiful performances. Troy, Johnson and Turner are all terrific as is Felicia Oduh in the dual role of Mamillius and Perdita, the children of Leontes and Hermione.

The company’s resident comic Sean Fortunato (another Shakespearean name!) also offers a fine turn as the con man Autolycus.

The company MVP however has to be Issy van Randwyck as the noblewoman Paulina, the play’s moral authority who condemns Leontes for his misdeeds and assists his cruelly cast off wife. Randwyck’s command of language and emotion are absolutely devastating.

Like many of its best shows, CST’s production directed by Artistic Director Edward Hall offers plenty of spectacle without ever undermining the story and text.

When Leontes adds blasphemy (toward the Oracle at Delphi) to his list of misdeeds the gods respond in unambiguous fashion which is very well realized technically.

The play is known for containing the most famous stage direction in Shakespeare’s canon and probably all English language drama “Exit, pursued by a bear”. Let’s just say Hall and his designers make a meal out of this bit.

After the heaviness of the first act, Hall gives us some shamelessly silly staging in the second to lighten the mood. It’s a big swing but it works. Unfortunately after this, the pacing drags a bit as we check off various narrative boxes on our way to the finale.

Nonetheless, the production is extremely entertaining, engrossing and thoughtful overall, a worthy addition to CST’s long list of hits.

Fri, Oct 30:

7:00pm

Sat, Oct 31:

2:00pm & 7:00pm

Sun, Nov 1:

2:00pm

Sat, Nov 7:

7:00pm

Sun, Nov 8:

2:00pm

Tue, Nov 17:

7:00pm

Wed, Nov 18:

1:00pm & 7:00pm

Sat, Nov 21:

7:00pm

Sun, Nov 22:

2:00pm

Tue, Nov 24:

7:00pm

Wed, Nov 25:

1:00pm

Wed, Dec 2:

1:00pm & 7:00pm

Thu, Dec 3:

7:00pm

Fri, Dec 4:

7:00pm

Sat, Dec 5:

1:00pm

Thu, Dec 10:

7:00pm

Fri, Dec 11:

7:00pm

Sat, Dec 12:

1:00pm

Price: 65-125

Show Type: Comedy/Drama

Box Office: 312-595-5600

Running Time: 2hrs, 50mins; one intermission

www.chicagoshakes.com

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