THE WINTER’S TALE | STAGE REVIEW
Thompson’s Park, Canton, Wed 17 June
Being comprised of a cast of both disabled and non-disabled musicians, dancers and actors, the Taking Flight theatre company’s take on A Winter’s Tale is unlike any Shakespeare adaptation I’ve seen before. Featuring sign language alongside the singing and dialogue, it must be, for anyone who is deaf themselves, a welcome change – and for those who aren’t, a new and interesting way of looking at Shakespeare.
The choice of venue will certainly appeal to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, and would be especially enjoyable on a hot summer’s day with a picnic rug, some strawberries and a glass or two of wine.
Cast and crew do well to set the mood, ensuring guests are well stocked with sparkling juice and party hats, and a hearty song and dance to kick the show off gives promise of wholesome, family friendly entertainment yet to come. Opening scenes display some wonderful vocal talent, alongside a decent amount of well-placed comedy. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, and as the cast beckon you to follow them from scene to scene around the park, you feel as if you are a part of the play, which I imagine must have been their intention.
However, after about forty-five minutes, it begins to wear a little thin. Perhaps it didn’t help that the weather that day was cold, windy, and spitting with rain. It undoubtedly would have been at least far less uncomfortable, if not a lot more enjoyable if we hadn’t had to traipse around a freezing cold park with soggy bottoms and runny noses. But credit where credit’s due, the cast soldiered on through the wind and the rain, not once losing spirit, though perhaps, at times, the attention from their audience, who, by two hours in, just wanted to go home and have a hot bath.
Sunny weather provided, however, A Winter’s Tale would be a fantastic show to see if you are a true Shakespeare enthusiast, and well-versed with the play itself. For anyone else, however, and children in particular, two and half hours of unedited dialogue is simply too much for anyone to handle in one sitting (or standing), as half the time, you simply can’t work out what the heck is going on.
It seems the play would benefit from a bit of rework and some cutting of scenes for it to appeal to a broader audience. It does, however, have the potential to be something truly magical.
words BETHAN WINNALL
A Winter’s Tale will be performed across South Wales in June and July. Info: www.takingflighttheatre.co.uk