28 Jul 08

Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale was first performed around the time work started on building the Old Schools Quadrangle at the Bodleian Library.

History will be made in August 2008 when the Globe’s production of The Winter’s Tale comes to Oxford for a string of performances in the idyllic surroundings of the Bodleian Library Quadrangle. It is the first time an event of this kind has ever been held there.

This is the Globe’s second open-air tour and they will be visiting the Bodleian between the 17 and 22 August as part of the ‘Playhouse Plays Out’ series.

In conjunction with the performances, the Library has organized a series of talks by Oxford scholars. A small display of early books and related materials, including Shakespeare’s First Folio opened at The Winter’s Tale, Act III, Scene 3, will also be on show throughout August in the Bodleian Exhibition Room.

Dr Sarah Thomas, Bodley’s Librarian, said: ‘The Bodleian’s Old Schools Quadrangle offers a spectacular contemporary setting for such a theatrical performance. We are pleased to collaborate with two established names in the theatrical world for this event, and to support it with talks by Oxford’s world-class Shakespeare scholars.’

Part family drama, part fairy tale, The Winter’s Tale, in keeping with the spirit of the old principles of touring theatre, will present a troupe of actors entertaining crowds with a stripped down version of Shakespeare’s magical story of jealousy, love and redemption.

Convincing himself of his wife’s infidelity, Leontes, King of Sicilia, is driven into a jealous rage. The disastrous consequences of Leontes’ actions reverberate across generations and national borders. Only his daughter, Perdita, left for dead in the wilds of Bohemia in her infancy, survives to redeem the tale.

Director John Dove will be revisiting the play after his hit production of The Winter’s Tale at the Globe Theatre in 2005. As well as The Winter’s Tale, Dove has directed Measure for Measure and In Extremis by Howard Brenton for Shakespeare’s Globe. His other work includes Darwin in Malibu (Birmingham Rep) and Rafts and Dreams (Royal Court), Death of a Salesman (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh). Dove was also an Associate Director at Hampstead Theatre.

Performances take place between Sunday 17 and Friday 22 August, with no performance on Monday 18 August and a matinee performance on Sunday 17 August. Tickets cost £15 for the performances and £2 for the talks, and are available from the Oxford Playhouse Box Office.

Shakespeare’s First Folio opened at The Winter’s Tale, Act III, Scene 3, will be on show throughout August in the Bodleian Exhibition Room.