Exploring Shakespeare

Performance photo gallery

Love, jealousy and redemption - explore Dominic Cooke's 2006 RSC production of The Winter's Tale.

Rehearsal photo gallery

Join The Winter's Tale company behind the scenes in rehearsal.

Director interview (Dominic Cooke)

Find out more about the decisions the company made in rehearsals and why Dominic wanted to stage this play in promenade .

Teachers' notes [PDF 690K]

Activities for teaching The Winter's Tale, based on RSC rehearsal room practice. (You need PDF reader software.)

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New Year's Eve ball

The Swan auditorium is transformed into a New Year's Eve ball, complete with band in white tie.

Act and Scene: Pre-show
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Auld lang syne

The promenading audience join in singing Auld lang syne and the countdown to midnight.

Act and Scene: Pre-show
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

You shall see great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Above Polixenes (Nigel Cooke), Hermione (Kate Fleetwood) and Leontes (Anton Lesser), Archidamus (Trystan Gravelle) talks to Camillo (Joseph Mydell).

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

…with his varying childness cures in me thoughts that would thick my blood.

Polixenes (Nigel Cooke), who misses his own son, plays with Mamillius (Edward Statham), watched by Hermione (Kate Fleetwood) and Leontes (Anton Lesser).

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I am appointed him to murder you.

Camillo (Joseph Mydell) tells Polixenes (Nigel Cooke) that Leontes is plotting against him.

Act and Scene: Act 1 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'tis past enduring.

Hermione (Kate Fleetwood) hands over Mamillius to her ladies.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

There is a plot against my life, my crown; all's true that is mistrusted…

Leontes (Anton Lesser), attended by lords (l-r: Ben Onwukwe, Danny Dalton, Nyasha Hatendi), angrily confronts Hermione.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

For 'tis Polixenes has made thee swell thus.

Leontes (Anton Lesser) angrily confronts Hermione (Kate Fleetwood).

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

A gracious innocent soul, more free than he is jealous.

Paulina (Linda Bassett) brings Hermione's baby to Leontes.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

On our knees we beg … that you do change this purpose.

A lord (Ashley Rolfe) pleads with Leontes (Anton Lesser) to change his mind about asking them to kill the baby.

Act and Scene: Act 2 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Your actions are my dreams: you had a bastard by Polixenes, and I but dream'd it.

Leontes (Anton Lesser) accuses Hermione (Kate Fleetwood) in court.

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I'll speak of her no more, nor of your children

Paulina (Linda Bassett) tells Leontes (Anton Lesser) that Hermione is dead.

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

… this place is famous for the creatures of prey that keep upon't.

A mariner (Nyasha Hatendi) tells Antigonus (Ben Onwukwe) not to go too far inland to abandon the baby. The set in the Swan has been designed to allowed rain to fall.

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Exit, pursued by a bear.

In semi darkness, Antigonus (Ben Onwukwe) leaves the baby in a Moses basket under his umbrella. He runs from the bear but the audience hears him being mauled to death offstage…

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 3
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Here's a sight for thee; look, a bearing-cloth for a squire's child!

Bohemian shepherds (Trystan Gravelle and Richard Moore) find the abandoned baby.

Act and Scene: Act 3 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I turn my glass and give my scene such growing as you had slept between.

Time (Robin Lawrence) explains that sixteen years have passed since the child was abandoned. She is named Perdita and has been brought up as a shepherd's daughter.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

As thou lovest me, Camllo, wipe not out the rest of thy services by leaving me now.

Polixenes (Nigel Cooke) persuades Camillo (Joseph Mydell) to stay in Bohemia and go with him to find out what Florizel is doing.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

I have served Prince Florizel, and in my time wore three-pile; but now I am out of service.

Autolycus (Richard Katz), a con man, causes a stir when he enters through a trapdoor, singing.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

The sheep-shearing festival

Perdita (Michelle Terry) dances with Florizel (Simon Harrison).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

The sheep-shearing festival

In the foreground, Camillo (Joseph Mydell) and Polixenes (Nigel Cooke), in disguise, watch the dancing.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

The sheep-shearing festival

Camillo (Joseph Mydell) and Polixenes (Nigel Cooke) disguised as hikers.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Pray now, buy some: I love a ballad in print…

Mopsa (Amanda Daniels) tries to persuade her man (Trystan Gravelle) to buy a song from Autolycus (Richard Katz).

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

Thou hast sworn my love to be / Thou hast sworn it more to me

Dorcas (Frances Ashman, left) and Mopsa (Amanda Daniels) sing with Autolycus (Richard Katz). The band behind them are also wearing wigs and costumes to fit in with the Bohemia setting.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25
Copyright: © RSC 2006

They have a dance which the wenches say is a gallimaufry of gambols…

Male 'rustics', adorned with only a few strategically-placed vegetables, perform a dance.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

Soft, swain, awhile, beseech you, have you a father?

As her shepherd father (Richard Moore) gives his permission for Perdita (Michelle Terry) to marry Florizel (Simon Harrison), Polixenes (Nigel Cooke) interrupts.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

Thou old traitor, I am sorry that by hanging thee I can but shorten thy life one week.

Polixenes (Nigel Cooke) removes his disguise and angrily confronts Florizel (Simon Harrison) who was planning to marry without his consent.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

Have you thought on a place whereto you'll go?

Camillo (Joseph Mydell) suggests to Perdita (Michelle Terry) and Florizel (Simon Harrison) that they flee to Sicilia.

Act and Scene: Act 4 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

Give me the office to choose you a queen

Paulina (Linda Bassett) talks to Leontes (Anton Lesser), who has spent the sixteen years in atonement.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

By his command have I here touch'd Sicilia and from him give you all greetings…

Florizel (Simon Harrison) and Perdita (Michelle Terry) arrive at Leontes' palace.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 1
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

The oracle is fulfilled; the king's daughter is found…

Dominic Cooke has staged Act 5 Scene 2 as a press conference. A reporter (Ashley Rolfe) summarises what's happened.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

See you these clothes? Say, you see them not and think me still no gentleman born.

The shepherds (Trystan Gravelle and Richard Moore) meet Autolycus (Richard Katz) again, after they have become part of the royal family.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 2
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25

Comes it not something near?

Paulina (Linda Bassett) unveils the statue of Hermione (Kate Fleetwood).

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Suzanne Worthington
Date: 2006-10-25

Music, awake her: strike! 'Tis time; descend; be stone no more.

In front of Leontes (Anton Lesser, left) and Polixenes (Nigel Cooke), Paulina (Linda Bassett) commands music to bring the statue of Hermione (Kate Fleetwood) to life.

Act and Scene: Act 5 Scene 3
Credit: Keith Pattison
Date: 2006-10-25