The Winter’s Tale

Summer 2020

Thankyou for expressing interest in OVO’s Summer 2020 production, The Winter’s Tale. OVO has established an outstanding reputation for its musical Shakespeare productions over the past five years. We have made two appearances at the world famous Minack Open Air Theatre in Cornwall, becoming the first company to win the coveted Minack Trophy for best production of the season on our debut in 2016. Our annual production at the spectacular Roman Theatre of Verulamium in St Albans has grown and grown, becoming a firm favourite in the city’s arts calendar, and expanding in 2019 to a month long festival which attracted well over 3,000 audience members. Also in 2019 we made our debut at the Rose Playhouse in London, playing to packed houses and garnering a string of 4 and 5 star reviews. The Winter’s Tale promises to be our most ambitious production yet, running for 32 performances across three venues – both indoors and outdoors – and culminating in our third appearance at the Minack, a venue that is on most theatre people’s bucket list. We expect to play to an audience of over 8,000 across six weeks of performances. We are delighted to be reuniting our hugely successful creative team for a fifth time – Directors Adam Nichols and Janet Podd, Musical Director Tom Cagnoni, Choreographer Jill Priest and Designer Simon Nicholas – for what promises to be another fantastic show. About the play, setting and concept The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s last plays, and surely his most beautiful, challenging, contrasting, joyous and moving work. It is at heart a fairytale - a man is consumed by a sudden dark enchantment of jealousy, a divine oracle speaks and is ignored, a tender life is preserved just at the moment when its destruction seems inevitable, a bear appears, a statue comes to life and a family is reconciled after decades of separation. Theatrically it presents a complex and challenging structure – almost three plays in one. Acts 1, 2 and 3 are a tragedy, Act 4 is a comedy and Act 5 is an elegiac love story. It offers wonderful opportunities, but also problems that have to be solved – especially the tonal shifts between the various sections of the play, and the 16 year time shift between Acts 3 and 4 – a unique device which Shakespeare only ever used in this play. We are still in the process of finalising our concept. However, at the moment we are envisaging that Acts 1-3 will be set in Sicily in the 1950s – a real departure for us to be setting a Shakespeare play in its original location! Think sharp suits, fabulous dresses, heat and mafia undertones accompanied with Italianate pop music of the era - the likes of Mambo Italiano and Volare. Then we will switch and jump forward to an early 1970s music festival (Glastonbury started in 1970) where we will roll out Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan alongside the more reflective Carole King, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. It will be fun!

Synopsis Polixenes, leader of Bohemia, has been on a long visit to his childhood friend Leontes, leader of Sicilia, and his wife, Hermione. Groundlessly, Leontes becomes convinced that his heavily pregnant wife has been having an affair with Polixenes. He tries to persuade his most trusted advisor, Camillo, to poison Polixenes. Convinced of Hermione's innocence, Camillo warns Polixenes and they depart for Bohemia together. Lost children Another of Leontes's advisors, Antigonus, is ordered to leave Hermione's newly born daughter on a remote coast. Leontes tries Hermione for treason; when he denies the truth of god's declaration of her innocence, his son Mamillius dies. He is then told that Hermione has also died. Antigonus leaves the baby girl on the coast of Bohemia, where he is torn to pieces by a bear. An old shepherd and his clownish son find the baby, bring her up as a member of their family and name her Perdita. 16 years later Perdita is being courted by Polixenes' son, Florizel, who has disguised himself as a shepherd, Doricles. The roguish troubadour Autolycus tricks the shepherds out of money. Polixenes and Camillo come in disguise to the countryside; when Polixines denounces his son for courting a low-born shepherdess, Florizel and Perdita flee to Sicilia, with the assistance of Camillo. The truth comes out The shepherd and his son follow, bringing tokens that reveal Perdita's true identity. That which was lost having been found, Paulina, the lady most loyal to Hermione, reveals a statue of the dead queen and tells the assembled company to prepare themselves for a great wonder.

Characters

In Sicilia

In Bohemia

Leontes – Leader of Sicilia, and childhood friend of Polixenes

Hermione – His wife Mamillius – Their son

Camillo/Camilla – Chief advisor to Leontes Paulina – Advisor and best friend of Hermione

Polixenes – Leader of Bohemia, and Leontes's boyhood friend

Florizel – Polixenes's only son and heir Perdita – Daughter of Leontes and Hermione

Antigonus/Antigone – Acolyte of Leontes

Dion/Diane – Acolyte of Leontes Cleomenes/Cleomena – Acolyte of Leontes

Emilia – Hermione's assistant Archidamus/Archidama – Acolyte of Polixenes

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Shepherd/Shepherdess – An honourable farmer Young Shepherd - Old Shepherd's son, and Perdita's adopted brother

Autolycus – A roguish troubadour Mopsa – A country girl in love with Young Shepherd Dorcas – A country girl in love with Young Shepherd

We are looking for a company of between 12 and 17 actors/musicians. The characters in the top row of the table above will not double. The characters in the bottom row with either double characters, or combine a single character with a role in the band. There are plenty of opportunities for cross sex casting – many roles could be played by either male or female actors. All company members will be expected to be able to sing. The characters highlighted in the table below will be expected to be strong singers and/or instrumentalists. We do not anticipate any complex choreography, although there will be a small amount of dancing at various points in the show. The emphasis will be on choreographed movement rather than highly polished dance routines. To give you an idea, for those of you familiar with our previous productions, it will be more akin to As You Like It than Much Ado About Nothing.

Detailed character breakdown Character Gender Playing age Music Description Antigonus/Antigone M/F 35-55

Acolyte of Leontes and husband of Paulina. He seems to be the most influential in Leontes's circle after Camillo leaves. Unfortunately, he does not possess the necessary skills to counter the chaos and madness caused by Leontes's temporary tyranny. He cannot control his wife, Paulina, nor can he contrive a humane fate for the infant Perdita. He deserves sympathy, however, for trying his best and for placing Perdita in the right place at the right time for both survival and a return to the life for which she was born. Antigonus suffers more than circumstances justify, however, when he is chased and devoured by a bear.

Archidamus/Archidama M/F 25+

Acolyte of Polixenes who describes the barrenness of Bohemia in the opening scene.

Autolycus M 25+ Strong singer and instrumentalist

An audience favourite from the play. A rogue and talented musician who lives and delights by his wits. He plays a minor but key role in the final reconciliation, and when the goodhearted Young Shepherd promises to reward Autolycus, the groundwork is prepared for our feeling that rewarding the rogue is more just than punishing him for his earlier thievery.

Camillo/Camilla M/F 30+

A close advisor to Leontes with a natural inclination to be a valuable friend. After he decides to join Polixenes rather than kill him, Camillo becomes just as valuable an adviser as he had been to Leontes. He is also wise and skilled enough to reconcile the love between Polixenes and his son, Florizel, into a tapestry of reunion and reconciliation among all the surviving, original sufferers in the play.

Cleomenes/Cleomena M/F 25+

Acolyte of Leontes, whose most important role in the play is to fetch and deliver the oracle's message.

Dion/Diane M/F 25+

Acolyte of Leontes, whose most important role in the play is to fetch and deliver the oracle's message.

Dorcas F 20-30 Strong singer Country girl who dramatises the role model for young women of her social level; she fails to sway Perdita from her natural inclinations toward graciousness and gentility.

Character Gender Playing age Music Description Emilia F 20-30

Assistant to Hermione who accompanies her to prison. Emilia's big moment in the play occurs when she speaks to Paulina about Hermione's health and announces that the queen has given birth to a baby girl while behind bars.

Florizel M 20-30

The son of Polixenes. A brash and high-spirited young man, he is willing to throw away all responsibilities, loyalty, and filial love in exchange for the chance to live with and love Perdita. Because he listens to Camillo and cares about Perdita, he is able to emerge from his ardent, youthful fantasy without destroying anyone. But he is tempted by headstrong emotions, a key to his character that is, he is capable of being selfish and self-centered.

Hermione F 35-45 Strong singer The wife of Leontes. An unbelievably pure combination of virtues, including a sufficiently patient optimism that sustains her through sixteen years while she hides and waits for the right moment to rejoin her repentant husband. She never utters a sigh or a word of remonstrance about the loss of her children or her freedom after she forgives Leontes.

Leontes M 40-50

As noted by Polixenes at the beginning of the play, Leontes has everything that love, loyalty, family and power can provide — until he is dominated by jealousy and tyranny. After he has caused those most dear to him to die and disappear, he repents for sixteen years until he is ready to be offered a second chance for happiness. When he is again given the opportunity for love and loyalty, he is ready to cultivate and encourage these qualities, because he now understands and appreciates their values.

Mamillius M 6-8

Young son of Leontes and Hermione. At a young age, Mamillius is wrenched away from his mother and forbidden to see her again. The moody, precocious boy dies, presumably of a broken heart, before his mother's sexual fidelity and innocence is accepted by his father. Mamillius's death seems, to Leontes, to be a punishment by the gods and causes Leontes to realize that his persecution of his wife has been a horrible mistake.

Mopsa F 20-30 Strong singer Country girl who dramatises the role model for young women of her social level; she fails to sway Perdita from her natural inclinations toward graciousness and gentility.

Character Gender Playing age Music Description Paulina F 35-55

Wife, then widow of Antigonus. A loyal friend to Hermione, she voices the conscience of Leontes in an irritating and scolding tone. But she is unarguably diligent and, therefore, she deserves her final reward of marriage to the good Camillo.

Perdita F 20-30 Strong singer The daughter of Leontes and Hermione and, later, the wife of Florizel. Without any environmental influence, she grows up with an uncanny resemblance to her mother in behaviour as well as appearance. Her outstanding virtue is common sense, which Florizel needs from their union more than he ever seems to realise. This quality is also used effectively to bring authenticity to a character who would otherwise be only two-dimensional.

Polixenes M 40-50

Leader of Bohemia and childhood friend of Leontes. When Leontes ends their friendship, Polixenes develops in a different and more wholesome way. But he has his own personal crisis, which involves the perfidy of his son, Florizel. Unlike Leontes, Polixenes seeks advice and facts and, although he ignores advice at the climax of his crisis, his wise choice of an adviser and his absence of tyranny eventually contribute to the concluding reconciliation at the end of the play.

Shepherd/Shepherdess M/F 50+

The farmer who finds and raises Perdita. For some reason, he has no name. Although he does appropriate the gold that was left with his foundling "daughter," he otherwise seems to raise Perdita in a fair and nurturing atmosphere. For instance, no character is aware of any different treatment or attitude toward his "real" child and his "foster" child.

Young Shepherd M 20-30

The son of the Shepherd also exists without a name. Identified only as the traditional clown role that he fills in the play, the character is developed enough to be a remarkable favourite for generations of audiences.

Performance schedule Performances will be as follows: London Venue: TBC Preview: 25th May 2020 Press Night: 26th May 2020 Performances: 27th – 30th May, 3rd – 6th June, 10th – 13th June 2020 5 shows per week: Wednesday to Saturday evenings with a Saturday matinee St Albans Venue: Roman Theatre of Verulamium Performances: 1st – 4th and 8th – 11th July 2020 5 shows per week: Wednesday to Saturday evenings with a Saturday matinee Cornwall Venue: Minack Open Air Theatre, Porthcurno Performances: 20th – 24th July 2020 7 shows per week: Monday to Friday evenings with Tuesday and Thursday matinees Rehearsal schedule Rehearsals will take place at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans. There may be occasional rehearsals in London or at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium – these will be advised at the time. The main rehearsal block is as follows: 28th March – 5th April 2020 - daytimes 6th April – 7th May 2020 – various evenings and weekend slots for singing 8th – 10th May 2020 - daytimes 23rd – 25th May 2020 - daytimes Refresh rehearsals prior to the runs at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium and the Minack Theatre will be as follows: 27th – 28th June 2020 (at the Roman Theatre) 18th – 19th July 2020 (at the Minack)

Terms of engagement OVO will pay reasonable travel expenses to and from rehearsals and performances in St Albans and London. Expenses will be paid for St Albans calls for those living more than 10 miles from St Albans. Expenses will be paid for London calls for those living more than 10 miles from the venue. Travel and accommodation expenses will be paid in full for all members of the company for the week in Cornwall. Accommodation will be in good quality flats and houses close to the Minack Theatre, shared with other company members. Auditions Auditions will take place on 16th and 17th July 2020 at the Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans. We will ask you to come along for around 90 minutes, during which time you will have the opportunity to read for one or more roles, sing a song and complete a simple piece of choreography.