The Winter's Tale

"The Winter's Tale" is one of the late romances, in which an improbable plot is overcome by authorial magic. Unlikely people go through even more unlikely ordeals and separations, only to be united in healing reconciliation in the last scene. The test is, do you get the shivers down the back when fractured people are made whole again at the end? Here the answer is yes.

Director Jane Howell uses a unit set which is unobtrusively effective all the way through. The visuals are in monochromatic white at first, then as the story progresses color is added in increasingly vivid tones. The actors often address themselves directly to the camera in tight closeup, so if you have a large-screen TV, you'll get to know these people real well.

Pace is generally good, though we do bog down with the sheep-shearing festival of rustics at the beginning of the second half. Shakespeare's clowns are often annoying, but they can clear the air. I just don't like slowing down for them.

Jeremy Kemp is excellent as the angry, paranoid King of the opening scenes. He glares into the camera lens and hisses his lines as the great screen villain he was. However, after the Oracle of Delphi pronounces his suspicions false and his wife innocent, Kemp never finds a way to physicalize his response and emotional transformation. You have to listen carefully to his well-recited lines, because you can't guess from his body what his reactions are.

Robert Stephens as Polixenes looks blurry and very much the worse for wear, but gives a detailed and professional performance nonetheless. Margaret Tyzack is formidable as Pauline. It's scandalous that this is her only appearance in the series. Anna Calder-Marshall, Debbie Farrington and David Burke are all superior, and Jeremy Dimmick is probably the best young boy in the whole cycle.

The rest of the cast is mostly fine, and many of them pop up again in Jane Howell's "Henry VI" trilogy plus "Richard III," and the "Titus Andronicus." This version of "The Winter's Tale" is good stuff, so don't hesitate.

'The Winter's Tale' is not one of the very best plays of William Shakespeare, a master playwright and one of history's most important, with one of his more improbable plots. It is still though a charmer, has interesting characters difficult to portray in some cases, has Shakespeare's usual mastery of language and has emotional impact. To me, even when Shakespeare was not at his very best there was still an awful lot to admire.

As has been said before, although some productions are inevitably better than others, the BBC Television Shakespeare series is an interesting must watch. It is great to have a series containing productions of almost all his plays, and while there are productions where low budget does show it is also great to see the productions mostly faithfully and tastefully staged with generally good casts (with some disappointments too). This 1981 production of 'The Winter's Tale' is as of now among the lower rated productions of the series here, for me it is somewhere in the high middle without being one of the best. It is a good example of how to do 'The Winter's Tale' and doesn't disgrace it or Shakespeare at all.

Not much else to add to what has been said. There are short-comings with the productions which have been said already, and do share those criticisms. Especially with the ageing mostly not being convincing enough and even more so with the woefully under-budgeted look/effect of the bear.

It is agreed too that Debbie Farrington and Robin Kermode are on the bland side, they look the part and look appropriately youthful but when it comes to experience the others are so far ahead and it shows.

However, the production does look good otherwise. The production values are simple in the type of set used but it was great that it didn't get in the way of the staging or swamp the cast, while the costumes are also simple but don't come over as though they were made on a low budget in a rush (found them quite tasteful actually). Also really liked the colour scheme starting from the more monochrome colours to the richer and more vibrant ones, which fitted with the story's progression. The use of close-ups was effective and made the most of, without being over-the-top or over-used.

Shakespeare's text shines through, amusing, tense, loving and poignant in equal measure. The staging is compelling, apart from a brief dead stretch at the beginning, it didn't come over as too busy or too static while also not resorting to pointless distaste and everything makes sense. Despite trying not to be too much of a traditionalist, have liked concept productions of plays and operas, but it depends on how the concept is executed, whether it and the staging touches make sense and don't offend. Do agree that the pace is fine on the whole and the spirit of the play is maintained with full impact.

Jeremy Kemp is a compellingly tortured as Leontes and Robert Stephens equally excels in another difficult role in Polixenes. It is hard to find a more ideal Camillo than David Burke, while Anna Calder-Marshall is a noble and touching Hermione and Margaret Tyzack is an immensely powerful presence as Paulina. The more clownish and comedic aspects and how they're performed are actually done amusingly and not obnoxiously, Shakespearean clowns/comedy relief are not easy to get right judging from how variably they have been performed in Shakespeare productions/adaptations but this production of 'The Winter's Tale' does a great job on this front. The interaction between the actors is never less than compelling and a great deal of thought clearly went into it.

Overall, a very good and often great production. This may sound like reinforcing what has been said already but only really because what has been said has been said so well and wanted to show my agreement. Also reviewed it as someone seeing the whole BBC Television Shakespeare series and writing reviews on them. 8/10

Unfortunately there are so few versions of The Winters Tale available to watch on screen. It seems to have fallen out of favour in modern times, shunned by other more obviously engaging Shakespeare plays. This version of the unabridged play was done as part of BBC Television Shakespeare in the 80s where they adapted all of Shakespeare's plays. Some of those versions are brilliant. For example Derek Jacobi's Hamlet remains my favourite Hamlet and I have seen many. This version of The Winter's Tale is very dry and dusty. The first 2 acts are lacking in the emotional intensity of the jealousy and tragedy, and the 2nd half lacking in the joviality and comedy of the feast and wedding. The final act of redemption is done very well and Anna Calder Marshall may be my favourite Hermione, I really enjoyed her performance.

Other than that this was very slow. There was a 2021 version performed by the RSC and which is available on BBC player and will be until at least April 2022. I recommend that one unreservedly over this 1981 version.

When watching this screen adaptation of "A Winter's Tale," one must first keep in mind that this is a BBC production and an ensemble cast of actors. This is not Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet and should not be confused as such. That aside, it is one of the better Shakespeare plays produced and is what a real Elizabethan citizen might have seen in their time. There is no pop and circumstance to detract from the text of the play. The scenes are well acted and beautifully played out by some of the best ensemble Shakespearean actors to ever cross the stage.

Jeremy Kempt gives a wonderful portrayal of the tormented King Leontes and is well supported by David Burke as Camillo. Hermione is given a delicate sense of nobility by Anna Calder-Marshall and brings the grounding feminine presence to the play. Not to be overlooked is Margaret Tyzach who plays the proud and noble Paulina who defends Hermione in her darkest days. The only two lacking performances were those of Perdita and Florizel played by Debbie Farrington and Robert Kermode respectively, although I blame their bland performances on being young and inexperienced.

This is a TERRIBLE film, one of the worst Shakespeare adaptations ever made in the history of the world. It manages to bore FROM THE FIRST FIVE SECONDS, and to watch the entire three hours is an appalling prospect. Made with no imagination at all, and on a budget of 57 pence, it has only one (boring) set, and an array of famous actor giving boring, boring performances. Even the comic pastoral scenes are slow, clumsy and lumpen. Poor Shakespeare. Poor students forced to watch this film. When you die and go to Hell, this will be the in-flight movie.