Stage Review The Winter's Tale RSC 2025/26

Actors Bertie Carvel (Leonetes) and John Light (Polixenes)
The Winter's Tale
by William Shakespeare
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Photograph Marc Brenner

The Winter's Tale

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Yael Farber

⭐⭐⭐⭐

'less observed traditionally, but wonderfully variegated' Debra Hall theatre critic

Overview

In Sicilia, and, Leontes and Polixenes (friends since childhood), wrestle with one another. Later, when Leonetes holds court, he deems his Queen, Hermoine to be overly warm and friendly toward Polixenes. Leontes is ill at ease with her open affection.

Convinced that his suspicions of an affair, between his wife and old friend are true, Leonetes works to persuade Camillo to poison Polixenes. He then seeks out his son, Mamillius in an effort to disturb the equilibrium of the boy's loyalties between himself and Hermoine, the boy's mother.

Actors Bertie Carvel (Leonetes) and Raphael Sowole (Camillo)
The Winter's Tale
by William Shakespeare
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Photograph Marc Brenner

Leonetes publically accuses Hermoine of wronging him and has her imprisoned. Camillo however, in his belief that Hermoine is innocent, had forewarned Polixenes of the situation. Camillo switches his allegience and the two leave immediately for Polixenes' kingdom of Bohemia.

A daughter is born to Hermoine and when she stands trial an Oracle exonerates her, but Leonetes is having none of it. He refutes that the baby is his and his jealousy continues to create havoc with dire consequences.

A sixteen year gap picks up the threads of the story...

Production Photography by Marc Brenner

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)

The Winter's Tale July/August 2025

Set & Costume: Soutra Gilmour, Lighting: Tim Lutkin

Comment

It may be the middle of an English summer heatwave outside, but the fiery elements pertaining to the theatrical work on display inside, helps deliver this popular Shakespearian play less atmospherically but more explosively than many may choose to set it. 

Snow may fall but this winter's tale has fire and brimstone! A terrific Act IV and V once the story has moved on sixteen years; and actor, Trevor Fox as Time Thief takes the stage as a chorus figure and the melodrama of earlier scenes lifts.

The sense of injustice and the angry passion attached to this ageless story comes in surprising ways, it is sensed more predominantly through the music and dance performances and the visuals rather than the delivery of the prose itself which fails to hit home in the emotive ways than one might wish.

The string playing musicians intermingle in scenes on stage, the light plays with the silhouettes of Tonny Shim and Ailsa Mair Fox and Rhianna Compton leads the cast singing soft harmonies, altogether, along with Lindsay Miller on keyboard creates incredible spacial music that just whisks one away from moments of heavy dialogue. The bass guitar of Nick Lee together with Kev Waterman drumming really ups the tempo at dramatic interludes.

The Winter's Tale has that marvellous mix of Shakespearian characters of nobility, those who serve them, and the common people. Some wonderful performances from across the playing field including: Bertie Carvel, Raphael Sowole as picture captioned and Trevor Fox as mentioned; also a stand out is Amelda Brown making her RSC debut as Shepherdess.

**ENDS**

Review by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the performance of The Winter Tale at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon on Tuesday 12 August at 7.15pm

References


RSC The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare Printed Programme 2025/26


Asker, D Production Photography The RSC (13 August 2025)