Playing: 17th-21st Nov 2015
The Manchester Shakespeare Company’s fifth production following their successful musical ‘Summer Dreaming 1973’ is ‘Winter’ a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘The Winter’s Tale’: A story of hope and friendship against all the odds.
Book tickets here
Set in the dark austerity of Post- Second World War Mancia, and the brave new world of the 1960’s ‘Winter’ traces the journey of two young friends through war and peace, love and jealousy, to the final startling conclusion.
Boyhood friends Leo and Paul had very different experiences of the war. One was lucky, the other was not. Leo now believes everything he loves is a lie and he is prepared to act upon his jealous delusions. These actions have devastating consequences for his wife Hermione his family and his friends. When he finally accepts the truth, it is too late: his wife and son are dead and his daughter lost. His only comfort is Pauline his wife’s best friend, she holds out hope for the future: hope of Spring in the depths of Winter. Leo’s life will only begin again when his lost daughter is returned to him.
The years pass, the seasons change and an unexpected visit from strangers from the country sets in motion a chain of almost magical events that begin to thaw Leo from his frozen grief. He begins to believe that there might just be a chance of forgiveness and the restoration of the love that was so cruelly lost. With Pauline’s help the impossible is about to happen. From death comes rebirth. From Winter comes Spring and with it the first hope of Summer.
