THE WINTERS TALE by William Shakespeare, directed by Estelle Shook (High Park Dream Site). To September 4. Pwyc ($20 sugg), under 14 free. 416-367-1652. See listing Rating: NNN
This year’s Dream In High Park is better than the last few simply because director Estelle Shook resists a wholesale reframing or modernizing of the Bard’s work. However, lacklustre design choices result in an uneven rendition of one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known comedies.
The Winter’s Tale starts off as a psychological drama in which Leontes, the King of Sicily (David Jansen), believes his queen, Hermione (Kelly McIntosh), is having an affair with his childhood friend Polixenes (Sanjay Talwar), the King of Bohemia. Ignoring all evidence to the contrary, Leontes rashly instructs one of his nobles to abandon Hermione’s newborn daughter in the woods. In the lighter second half, the child is adopted by a shepherd (George Masswohl) and eventually catches the eye of Polixenes’ son, Florizel (Thomas Olajide).
Costume designer Denyse Karn dresses everyone like it’s the late 19th or early 20th century, complete with British-style Bobby hats and newsboy caps. This repeatedly clashes with the pre-modern storyline without delivering thematic insights.
Additionally, the set for the first half is disappointingly sparse, especially given the lush, inspiring surroundings of High Park. Things improve once the action shifts to the countryside and some colourful leafy ornaments adorn the stage.
Of the performers, Jansen seems bland and unsteady in the opening court scene, but once Leontes’s jealous suspicion takes hold – during a well-done bit where he speaks his fears directly to the audience – his performance improves as the stakes rise. The rest of the ensemble is generally strong, especially John Blackwood’s comic turn as the singing thief Autolycus. However, Shook sadly rushes the famous bear attack (the play’s best-known sequence), missing a great opportunity for comic action.
While the show feels uneven, the experience of watching Shakespeare in High Park remains an immensely enjoyable and indispensable part of summer in the city.
stage@nowtoronto.com
