A Winters Tale

Dates of performance

January 1971

Overview

Leontes, King of Sicilia, is suddenly overcome with a blinding jealousy, believing his Queen Hermione and their guest Polixenes, King of Bohemia to be lovers. Leontes plans to poison Polixenes, but he escapes to his own country with the courtier Camilo who had warned him. Leontes takes this as proof of Hermione’s guilt, and has her put imprison, where a baby daughter is born, but Leontes refuses to acknowledge the child as his own and orders her to be on a desolate coast. During the trial of Hermione, the news comes from the oracle at Delphos, that Hermione id blameless, and that the King “shall live without an heir if that which is lost s not found”. Leontes denies the truth of the oracle, but almost at once, Hermione’s gentlewoman, Pulina, announces that the Queen and his only son are dead.
Meanwhile the infant girl, called Perdita (that which is lost), is discovered on the coast of Bohemia by a Shepard, who brings her up as his own daughter.
Sixteen years later, the lonely Leontes is filled with remorse at his folly and cruelty. In Bohemia, Prince Florizel, the son of Polixenes, has met P[Perdita and they have fallen in love, but his father who has been secretly watching them, says there can be no marriage for his son with a country girl. The lovers escape and sail back to Sicilia, where, when the old Shepard out of fear has told the truth about Perdita's identity. Leontes finds that she is his lost daughter. The marriage of the young lovers is arranged and as a culminating happiness, Paullina invites the Court to see a statue of the Queen, and it is revealed that this is the living Hermione, who had not died but had been living in seclusion. The play ends with all the joyfulness of spring, and calm after the winter’s ravages.

Cast List

LEONTES King of Sicilia KEITH GRENVILLE
MAMILLIUS Prince of Sicilia JEREMY WARNER
CAMILLO Lord of Sicilia BILL JERVIS
ANTIGONUS Lord of Sicilia DON MAQUIRE
CLEOMENES Lord of Sicilia JAY HEALE
DION Lord of Sicilia NORMAN COATES
POLIXENES King of Bohemia PHILIP BIRKINSHAW
FLORIZEL Prince of Bohemia PHILIPPE LE ROUX
ARCHIDAMUS Lord of Bohemia CONRAD BURKE
OLD SHEPHERD Reputed father of Perdita MICHAEL DRIN
CLOWN   DAVID CRICHTON
AUTOLYCUS A rouque RAYMOND DAVIES
GAOLER   JOHN MORLEY
OFFICER   ADENLOVE
GETLEMAN Attending Leontes CHRONIS PAPACOSTAS
SERVANT To Leontes NICHOLAS BICKET
HERMOINE Queen to Leontes CECILIA SONNENBERG
PERDITA Daughter of Leontes & Hermione SHARON LAZEROUS
PAULINA Wife of Antigonus JOYCE BURCH
EMILIA Lady attending to Queen ANN LOW
MOPSA Shepherdesses JILL KIDWELL
DORCAS Shepherdesses JENNIFER CRAIG
COURTIERS, ATTENDANTS, MARINERS AND COUNTRYFOLK AVRIL BEE,
ANDREA FINE,
SANDRA CAWOOD,
GITA KAYE,
JENNIFER LOW,
LESLEY,
LOWRY,
TONI MANASSE,
ALEXANDER BICKET,
GEORGE SAVAGE,
DITTANY PAGE,
DORIAN LOVE
DANCER  

PAULA HOFFMAN,
SANDRA CAWOOD,
ROSEMATU TAYLOR,
JANE WHIP,
JOHAN VAN PAANDORF,
CHRONIS PAPACOSTAS,
ANGELA MACCELARI,
VIVIENNE PULLIN

Creative List

STAGE DIRECTOR ADEN LOVE
STAGE MANAGER AVRIL BEE & PADDY SCHILDER
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS ANNE WILKINSON & BERYL BERMAN
COSTUMES AN LOW
ASSISTANT WARDROBE JENNIFER CRAIG
SOUND & LIGHTING ADEN LOVE
COSTUMES JENNIFER CRAIG
PROGRAMME EUNICE GLUCKMAN