A Warlock's Wintry Tale
Having completed the second of the three courses that I'm doing this year I've been taking things easy. In fact I've been so lazy that next to me a sloth would look like a caffeine fuelled hyperactive maniac. So, inspired by my muse the charming and delightful Ms. Marks, I ventured once more to the capital of this green and pleasant land - London.
This cultural expedition was to the recently rebuilt Globe theatre which nestles along the south bank of the river Thames and not far from the wibbly wobbly Millennium Bridge, there to see "The Winter's Tale". Now I had always thought that it was called "A Winter's Tale" but, after checking my complete works of Shakespeare, I find that the correct title is "The Winter's Tale", already I had learnt something and I felt that my knuckles were no longer scrapping along the floor in Neanderthal ignorance.
The weather was quite sunny when I set off by train to London's St Pancras station. When I arrived the sky over London looked somewhat overcast and I hoped that it didn't rain as I had neither coat nor umbrella to protect myself with. Undeterred, I headed for Kings Cross underground station and sought out the Northern Line. Remarkably, this was the first time that I was able to get a seat on a tube train. Usually I find myself squashed between two burley looking people covered in Arsenal tattoos. And sometimes these people are men. I disembarked at London Bridge which I presume was built to replace the one that we sold to the Americans.
As some people may know, Mr. Warlock's sense of direction is somewhat lacking in either sense or direction. Provision was made to allow time for "inappropriate site seeing", or getting lost as some people may choose call it. Despite being forearmed with a map and set of directions I managed to go around in a circle and end up at the starting point. This feet was later emulated by a route resembling a trapezium and one which would be best described as a parallelogram. However, luck would have it that I finally managed to avoid taking the wrong route at Winchester Square for the fourth time and was able to proceed towards my destination without further mishap. When taken properly the route from the tube station takes you past Southwark Cathedral, The Golden Hind (or what I think is a small scale model of Drake's ship as it looked too small to me to be the real one) and the Clink prison museum. At last I arrived at the Globe -yay!!! Forty-five minutes to do a journey that should have taken fifteen - not bad going for me.
I managed to pick up a few things in the gift shop; T-shirt, cds, postcard, poster and a couple of other things. Cushions were available to rent at a pound ago; I thought that this was very entrepreneurial as just a fixing the cushions to the wooden bench seats wouldn't raise any further income and besides this was probably the custom back in Elizabethan times. Armed with my cushion and bag of goodies I ventured off in search of my seat.
This rebuild Globe is as faithful a reconstruction as possible given that there is little or no documentation describing the Globe. This is then a best guess at what the original would have looked like and I reckon that they have done an admirable job. The building isn't round but I'd say more like a dodecahedron, it has a thatched roof that covers the stalls and the stage has a roof of its own. There is a standing area in front of the stage and encircled by the stalls where those who could not or chose not to pay the price of a seat in the stalls could stand and watch the performance. This Elizabethan "moshpit" was not covered by any roofing and was open to the elements. This rebuilt Globe had a concrete floor covering this area but I suspect that the original was of earth and not too pleasant to stand in during the winter months.
The start of the play was heralded by a small band of musicians situated in a gallery just above the back of the stage. The play was performed by a small cast of around fifteen players, some of whom were - gasp - female!! Times have certainly changed since Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne. Considering that this is supposed to be a comedy there was precious little that was amusing in the first have of the performance.
Leontes, King of Sicilia accuses his wife, Hermione, of having an affair with his childhood friend and King of Bohemia, Polixenes. He charges his servant, Camillo, to poison Polixenes; but instead he warns him and flees with him to Bohemia. Engaged by this, Leontes then accuses his wife of adultery and banishes her to prison. His news is too much for Prince Mamillius, Leonetes and Hermione's son and he falls gravely ill. Messengers are dispatched to the oracle at Delphi to provide proof of Hermione's guilt and during this time Hermione gives birth to a daughter. In an attempt to soften Leontes, Paulina the Queens midwife takes the baby to the king. Leonetes instead prefers to believe that the baby is the product of his wife's adultery is in favour of killing it. Antigonus, the husband of Paulina, pleads on behalf of the baby and the King instead charges him to take the baby to a remote place and leave its survival to chance. The messengers return with word from the oracle and pronounce Hermione innocent, but Leontes will not accept the judgement. As he is pronouncing punishment new is brought to him of the death of his son Prince Mamillius. Upon hearing the news Queen Hermione faints and is carried away. Paulina returns and carries news to the king that Hermione is dead. In the meantime, Antigonus has arrived in Bohemia and leaves the baby with a quantity of gold in a remote place. After which he is savaged and eaten by a bear. The baby is then found by an old shepherd and he decides to adopt it.
So far not really much to make you laugh I'd think that you'd agree. The acting was, however, top notch and probably keeping with tradition the use of props was minimal. Paul Jesson was very commanding as the enraged and jealous king Leontes and Yolanda Vazquez made a very beguiling Hermione. I was also impressed how the cast managed to keep their focus and concentration when a passing aeroplane flew over head. As the theatre was partly open to the elements the drone could be heard quite audibly. A modern problem that was not a concern for architects in Elizabethan times.
During the interval most people took the chance to stretch their legs or, if they had been standing, rest them. The house musicians entertained the crowd with Elizabethan standards and a unique cover version of Nirvana's "In Bloom" (okay, I made the last one up).
The second half was more light-hearted and the mirth level increased as the character of Autolycus was introduced. Autolycus is a bit of a thief and a rogue. Needles to say I liked him. The very golden haired Juliet Rylance played Perdita, the now fifteen year old exiled daughter of Leonetes and Hermione, with much gusto. The tone of the second half was more romantic with Florizel, the son of King Polixenes of Bohemia falling for the Perdita, whom it is believed to be the daughter of a shepherd and therefore well beneath his station. Polixenes, disguised and accompanied by Camillo attend a sheep-shearing festival being hosted by Perdita and her supposed father. Polixenes learns that Florizel intends to marry Perdita and revealing his true identity forbids such a union. Camillo suggests that the two elope to Sicilia. To escape being punished for treason by Polixenes, the old shepherd resolves to inform the king of Perdita's true origin. However, the old shepherd encounters Autolycus disguised in the clothes that he swapped with Florizel and he instead steers him to the ship on which Florizel and Perdita are fleeing to Scilia. Arriving in Scilia Florizel presents Perdita to King Leoentes as his Princess, a claim that he is forced to withdraw when news of the pursuing Polixenes and Camillo reaches the court. Loentes resolves to attempt a reconciliation between the fleeing Prince and his father. During this unseen meeting the true identity of Perdita is uncovered and Polixenes gives his consent to their engagement.
The royal party retire to the house of Paulina who informs them that she has commissioned a statue of Queen Hermione. The royal party are aghast at how life like the statue is. As Music begins to play the Queen appears to come to life and stepping down from her pedestal gives her blessing to her daughters' engagment. It appears that the Queen had not died, but was in hiding awaiting new of her daughter. King Leontes admitting that he had been wrong to suspect his Queen and best friend of having an affair is forgiven and all's well that ends well (good name for a play that).
I'm often amazed how actors remember all those lines, especially as in Elizabethan times it appears that people use ten words to our one. This I think may have lead to such a low age for mortality. People's lungs were worn out from having to take such deep breaths for the long sentences and diseases like consumption could take hold.
Okay, so here are some rather poor pictures that I took. You may notice that the date is wrong. I can assure you that I definitely did travel back to 1969 to take these pictures.
The famous wooden "O". A view of the thatched roof covering the stalls.
The world’s a stage and if this is the stage then it’s obviously a small world.
The house band on the balcony above the stage just prior to the start of the show.
The Globe as seen from the outside. The crowd flees as Mr Warlock attempts his rendition of all the parts off Henry V.
I think that this took me twice as long to write as the play lasted. Still, if you're ever in London it is worth trying to catch a play at the Globe as this gives you a far better feel for how the plays would have been staged in Shakespeare's own era.