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Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The Winter's Tale: A refreshing take on one of Shakespeare's trickiest plays
Written in the twilight of Shakespeare's life, The Winter's Tale is regarded as a problem play with good reason. A complex study of the nature of dualism, power, transgression and forgiveness, it begins as a psychological drama but the tone shifts abruptly between acts three and four, and it becomes a pastoral romantic comedy. There's a jarring switch of locations, too: it starts in the austere Sicilian court of King Leontes before moving to Bohemia, the kingdom of his childhood friend Polixenes. The story is driven by Leontes's unplumbed absurd, baseless jealousy, which tears his family apart – before a Pygmalion-style miracle provides healing many years later. So the conundrum for any production is how to satisfyingly yoke together its inconsistencies of tone. Director Yaël Farber's take on it for the RSC – starring a brilliant Bertie Carvel as Leontes – is a valiant, nuanced and gripping tussle with that conundrum and, for the most part, succeeds in remaking the play afresh. A lot of that is achieved by suppressing the more farcical elements of the text but Souta Gilmour's sparse but striking set design is also key to Farber's vision. A huge and imposing moon-like orb hovers over the cast for most of the action and is the backdrop for the majority of Tim Lutkin's lighting design. It's an inspired combination of lighting and set because the orb is a visual metaphor for so many elements of the play – a potent symbol of the cyclical nature of the seasons and the passage of time, it also illustrates the violent passions driving Leontes's lunatic destruction of his family. It emphasises the blue-grey austerity of Leontes's court and contrasts that with a blood-moon hue in the wilder, more pagan Bohemia. It adds to otherworldliness created by composer's Max Perryment's ambient soundscape. Not all of Farber's directorial choices land their mark. Although Trevor Fox delivers the key character of Autolycus beautifully as a world-weary troubadour, the decision to render some of his commentary on the action in rhyming couplets falls a bit flat and doesn't ring as rich and true as Shakespeare's own language. Likewise, Madeline Appiah's Hermione, Leontes's much-abused wife, and Leah Haile's Perdita, his long-lost daughter, have an unfortunate habit of eliding their words, which makes them difficult to understand. The abridgement of Shakespeare's text for the Bohemia set scenes is also a tad severe but I can appreciate that it was necessary in order to smooth the transition of tone shift between Sicily and Bohemia. It's still a thoughtful and striking production that pays attention to details. And as for that famous stage direction 'exit, pursued by a bear' – this fresh, sparky take on it will take you by surprise. The happy ending of this play doesn't feel as pat as that of Shakespeare's other comedies. The strong cast ensures that its conclusion thrums with all that is left unsaid in the tentative reconciliation between Hermione and Leontes: a vision of love that is world-worn but still full of hope.
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Winter's Tale review – Bertie Carvel is chilling as the RSC ramps up the thrills
Male sexual jealousy drives Shakespeare's problem play before it is smoothed over by its 11th-hour happy ending. Yaël Farber's production animates the psychological terror that King Leontes (Bertie Carvel) wreaks on his pregnant wife Hermione (Madeline Appiah), out of his unfounded suspicion that she has been unfaithful with his old friend, Polixenes (John Light). Carvel makes a convincingly deluded barefoot king, regarding himself as the vulnerable cuckold. His suspicion turns to solid belief to unleash punishment on Hermione. In its first three sombre acts, the drama plays out as a thriller, with expressionist movement and lighting. A gigantic orb of a full moon hangs over the stage (Soutra Gilmour's design is spare and striking as a whole), turning cool white or roiling red to reflect the action. Farber recently staged two Shakespeare tragedies at the Almeida: a Macbeth four years ago which was full of slow and meditative dread, and an arresting King Lear last year. This feels like a third tragedy in some ways, lugubrious in mood and with a monochrome aesthetic in the first, darker half. But there is a fuzziness to the storytelling. This modern-dress production is all smoke and shadows, unmoored from a specific time or place, so it is harder to contextualise its themes. More specifically, some scenes are vague, such as Antigonus's pursuit by a bear which is dealt with symbolically – a static figure takes off the mask to reveal herself as Hermione. It is beautiful but unclear. Tim Lutkin's lighting design turns warm in the second half, with lovely live music (lone musicians waver around the set). The usually awkward change of mood, from dark to light, works smoothly here: the play glides into a second half with Autolycus (Trevor Fox) its light-fingered highlight. But Farber seems at pains to add her own mythical layers: the figure of Time (also Fox) speak a choral ode from Brecht's The Antigone of Sophocles instead of the Oracle of Apollo, and this is opaque in its meaning. The feast in Bohemia is inspired by the ancient Greek ritual of the Eleusinian Mysteries, so the programme explains, adding that, for Farber, Hermione and Perdita 'wear the mask of Demeter and Persephone'. An interesting idea on the page, it is gnomic on stage. There is more clarity around female strength and resistance, to counter Leontes' tyranny. Aïcha Kossoko, playing noblewoman Paulina, is a powerful presence while Appiah, as Hermione, exudes pained dignity and courage alongside her bewilderment. When she testifies in court, she is a bereft mother with lactating patches on her dress after her newborn baby has been taken from her. It is an abject scene. The production never stops looking beautiful, and bustles with a wealth of original concepts, but sometimes resembles a puzzling procession. It remains an unsolved problem play, the first half – shaped so artfully as a tragedy of explosive and irrational male rage – still not quite wedded to its second. At the Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until 30 August
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Roaring back to life: discover the stunning visuals and storytelling of the reimagined 'Walking with Dinosaurs'
'Walking with Dinosaurs' gives viewers an intimate glimpse into the lives of Earth's oldest creatures. Image: Supplied Back in 1999, factual television was revolutionised when 'Walking with Dinosaurs' was released. The six-part nature documentary mini-series, created by Tim Haines, was a production collaboration between the BBC Science Unit, the Discovery Channel and BBC Worldwide TV, Asahi, ProSieben and France 3. Regarded at the time as the first series of its kind, the show depicted dinosaurs and other Mesozoic animals as living animals in the style of a traditional nature documentary. It has gained a worldwide cult following for how it recreated the extinct species through the combined use of computer-generated imagery and animatronics. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Now, 26 years later, a bold reimagining with the same title, once again produced by the BBC Studios Science Unit, brings to life six extraordinary dinosaurs through groundbreaking visual effects, dramatic storytelling and the latest advancements in palaeontological research. Narrated by Bertie Carvel, a double Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor who is renowned for roles in 'The Crown' and 'Doctor Foster', 'Walking with Dinosaurs' premiered on BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184) at the end of June. It invites viewers into the lives of the individual dinosaurs, who each have their own emotional journeys of survival, parenting and adaptation. Some elements of these magnificent creatures, which will be featured, include the towering might of Lusotitan and the delicate vulnerability of Clover and the life of a baby Triceratops. 'Walking with Dinosaurs' also brings to life their habitats, their behaviours and their survival strategies. Jay Balamurugan, the series assistant producer and a paleoartist, has a burning passion for Earth's most ancient creatures. 'It's such an interesting experience getting to work on a series like this because it was my childhood,' she said during an interview with 'Independent Media Lifestyle.' 'It's the reason I got into science and art and TV.' She added, 'The original left such a mark on me, and to get the chance to work on these new ones is so special, and now seeing it out in the world, it is really special.' 'I'm really pleased because I've seen a lot of families and children, especially, really enjoy it and watch it together, and it's something that makes me happy.' Balamurugan explained that she decided to get involved in this bold reimagining as a way of making her inner child happy. 'I think me, as a child, would have hated me as an adult forever (if she didn't take up this project).' 'It was also a great opportunity to bring this new view of dinosaurs to the public eye.' She said that it was how the dinosaurs were portrayed on the original series which sparked her interest in the show. 'I think that it had quite a special way of making the dinosaurs feel like animals. They didn't feel like movie monsters, and they didn't feel like mythological dragons.' 'They felt like animals, and it felt like I was watching a nature documentary about a lion or a hyena or something, except it was a T-Rex, and I think that was the thing that really hooked me and lots of people as well.' And although Balamurugan is thrilled to have worked on 'Walking with Dinosaurs', she said that it has not been without its obstacles. 'It's been a very, very challenging production because it's such a huge one,' she explained. 'Not only are we making the VFX dinosaur but we're making a show about palaeontologists. It does feel like we've got two big productions in one so it has been quite a challenge.' In regards to how it fares with the original show, she explained: 'I think it's similar to the original in the sense that it really keeps that spirit of telling the story of one animal in a really dramatic part of its life.' 'In the original, we had this with quite a few of the episodes where you would follow one dinosaur or one prehistoric animal and it's going through a really important epic migration or growing up in the presence of predators. Balamurugan added: 'We really try to keep that thread going in our current series.' What sets this reimagining apart is the inclusion of live-action sequences. 'I think we made that choice specifically because we want to celebrate science as much as we celebrate dinosaurs.' Balamurugan also had modern technology at her disposal for this version of 'Walking with Dinosaurs' "It's interesting because science has come such a long way and the technology involving film-making has also come such a long way.' 'We now have incredible VFX technology where not only can we make these times more realistic than ever but we can also sometimes even build our entire environments in VFX if we need to and this allows us to really get incredible sequences that we never would have got before.' Overall,Balamurugan promised that viewers can expect 'a really good story in each episode.' 'I also think people will really relate to these animals and come away with a wider understanding of these animals.' ∎ Watch new episodes of 'Walking With Dinosaurs' every Monday until August 4 at 8pm on BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184).
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harry Potter TV Star Explains Why He Might Not Return After Season 1
The Harry Potter television remake hasn't even begun filming yet, and already one cast member is talking about leaving. In June 2025, Bertie Carvel was cast as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, who will appear in a recurring capacity through the first season of HBO's Harry Potter adaptation. The role was previously played by the late English actor Robert Hardy in Warner Bros.' film series based on the J.K. Rowling novels. Since Fudge is a character who is mentioned and/or appears in every Harry Potter novel, the expectation is that Carvel will continue to portray him across the entire series run. However, during a recent interview with The Times, the actor hinted that he would not remain with the reboot if the fans did not like it. 'I don't know how it's going to fit into my life. I've read one script, which I loved, and I've read the books. I hadn't before I got the role. I think I saw one of the films, maybe two. As a boy if I had read these books I would have devoured them,' he explained. 'So I am coming at it with a really open mind. Whether I come back [after the first series] probably depends on what the fans think. I mean, I'll be furious if it's not an amazing part.' Harry Potter will be led by newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. They will be joined by John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, among others. Francesca Gardiner is serving as head writer and showrunner of the HBO adaptation, with Mark Mylod attached as its director. Described as a 'faithful' adaptation of Rowling's novel series, production on Harry Potter is expected to begin later this year, ahead of its 2026 debut on HBO.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Harry Potter reboot: Bertie Carvel opens up on his role as Cornelius Fudge
Tony-winning actor Bertie Carvel, who is set to play Cornelius Fudge in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series on HBO Max, spilled the beans on his role in the show. In a recent interview with The Times, Carvel shared his excitement about joining the wizarding world, admitting that he read the Harry Potter books only after landing the role. JK Rowling's Harry Potter series is all set to release on HBO Max. Bertie Carvel will play the role of Cornelius Fudge.(AP) While he's best known for his stage performances, including award-winning roles in Matilda the Musical and Ink, Carvel is no stranger to political characters, having played both Tony Blair in The Crown and Donald Trump on stage. The Harry Potter reboot is based on J.K. Rowling's books of the same name. Cornelius Fudge was the Minister of Magic in the books and movies. He shared a contentious relationship with Potter, particularly over the re-emergence of Voldemort. Bertie Carvel joins Harry Potter reboot as Cornelius Fudge According to Screen Rant, HBO Max is pulling out all the stops for the Harry Potter remake, casting top-tier talent like John Lithgow as Dumbledore and now Carvel as Fudge. While fans have met each casting update with intense scrutiny, Carvel remains grounded. He told The Times that his continued involvement in the show 'depends on what the fans think.' Also read: Johnny Depp recalls his response after getting dropped from Fantastic Beasts franchise: 'F**k you…' Bertie Carvel on his future in Harry Potter reboot 'I don't know how it's going to fit into my life. I've read one script, which I loved, and I've read the books. I hadn't before I got the role. I think I saw one of the films, maybe two. As a boy if I had read these books I would have devoured them. So I am coming at it with a really open mind,' he added. Carvel did not comment on the backlash the casting had received. Whether or not that happens is up to the fandom, but Carvel seems ready to let the magic unfold. FAQs 1. Who is playing Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter reboot? Bertie Carvel will portray Cornelius Fudge in the HBO Max remake series. 2. What is Bertie Carvel known for? He's known for The Crown and Matilda the Musical, among other roles . 3. Is the Harry Potter reboot a TV show or movie? It's a TV series with each season covering one book. 4. When is the new Harry Potter series releasing? The release date hasn't been announced by HBO Max yet.
