Exploring Shakespeare’s Comedies: The Winter's Tale
May 18 @ 14:00
A participatory study session, led by Clare Smout, exploring the story, themes and stagings of one of Shakespeare’s most moving plays, The Winter’s Tale. In this magical story of second chances, of loss and redemption, sin and forgiveness, death and birth, a king wrongly accuses his wife of adultery, only to spend 16 years bitterly regretting her loss and that of his rejected baby daughter. However, winter gives way to spring and the play ends in hope and reconciliation.
This three-hour event will start with an introductory talk, followed by group discussion and video clips from a variety of productions. After a break for coffee and cake, we will end with a group examination of key sections of the play.
This session will enable deeper appreciation of Shakespeare’s theatrical craftsmanship and provide an excellent basis for enjoying the Royal Ballet’s live-streamed adaptation later in May.
This event is suitable for those aged 18 and over.
Clare Smout is a locally-based Shakespeare specialist with a passion for sharing her enthusiasm for theatre. Having started as a theatre director and script doctor, she moved sideways into academic work and has taught Shakespeare to students of all ages, from primary and secondary school to university students to adult learners, including fifteen years lecturing at the University of Birmingham and as a guest tutor at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education.
This is the third play in a series of three comedies being explored this spring. A new monthly series on Exploring Shakespeare’s Tragedies will begin in October.
For further information, please contact Clare Smout on shakespeare.courses@smout.org.
