Iconic photos of a changing city, and commentary on our Collections & Exhibitions from the crew at MCNY.org
For some folks summertime in New York City means free concerts or picnics in the park or just an excuse to get out of town, but for me, summer in the city means plays by that great Elizabethan, William Shakespeare. And can you blame me, there are so many different Shakespeare productions to enjoy in the summer. This year, no less than 10 companies are performing all around the city, outdoors and for free!
In a defiant gesture to the recent heatwave, today’s blog takes a look at Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Considered one of Shakespeare’s late romances, this work was probably written around 1611 with documented New York performances as early as 1795. There’s a lot going on in this tale of jealousy, oracles, sea voyages, disguises, hucksters, love, and forgiveness, so take a deep breath. Here we go!
Leontes, the King of Sicily, enjoys a happy life. He has a young son named Mamillius and a pregnant and beautiful wife named Hermione, and his best friend Polixenes, the King of Bohemia, has been hanging out with him for the last nine months. Polixenes, aware of his long absence from his own kingdom, makes plans to go home. Leontes insists that he stay, and enlists Hermione to help convince his friend.
Ken Howard. [Norman Snow as Polixenes, Guy Michaels as Mamillius, Brian Murray as Leontes, and Marti Maraden as Hermione.] 1980. Museum of the City of New York. 80.142.2.
Ken Howard. [Noman Snow as Polixenes, Brian Murray as Leontes, and Marti Maraden as Hermione.] 1980. Museum of the City of New York. 81.36.11.
Vandamm Studio. [The Trial scene from The Winter’s Tale.] 1946. Museum of the City of New York. F2013.41.9096.
Henry Van der Weyde. Miss Mary Anderson as “Perdita.” ca. 1885. Museum of the City of New York. 39.317.12.
Time passes. The spirit of Time literally walks across the stage and announces 16 years have gone by. The young Perdita is now grown up and in love with Florizel, the son of Polixenes.
Byron Company (New York, N.Y.) Plays, The Winter’s Tale, 1904. Museum of the City of New York. 45.202.86.
Though Perdita knows his true identity, Florizel disguises himself as a shepherd so that he may attend a country festival with her. Also at the festival are Polixenes and Camillo, who have come disguised to investigate what has been distracting young Florizel of late.
Vandamm Studio. [Festival scene in The Winter’s Tale.] 1946. Museum of the City of New York. F2013.41.9099.
William Auerbach-Levy (1889-1964). [Richard Waring, Richard Eton, Inga Swenson, and Will Geer in The Winter’s Tale.] ca. 1958. Museum of the City of New York. 64.100.2336.
Byron Company (New York, N.Y.) Plays, The Winter’s Tale. 1904. Museum of the City of New York. 45.202.87A.
After the happy reunion of father and daughter, Paulina announces that a statue commissioned of Hermione is now ready for view. The party proceeds to Hermione’s tomb. Upon seeing the statue, Leontes marvels at its likeness to his late wife but notes some extra details, “Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing so aged as this seems.” (Act V, scene iii).
Lo and behold, the statue awakes, and Hermione is once again living flesh. All is reconciled, and all is forgiven. In Shakespeare’s time, a “winter’s tale” meant an old wive’s tale, a story told to entertain during the long winter evening but not one necessarily set in the winter season. The young prince Mamillius says “A sad tale’s best for winter,” (Act II, scene i). And while the play ends with a happy reunion, for Mamillius, who dies so young, it is a very sad tale indeed.There are parts of this tale that I’ve left out – the magnificent sass dished out by Hermione’s friend Paulina, the motivations of good Camillo, the delightful schemer Autocylus – but I do so, dear reader, to entice you to see the play yourself. A free production by New York Classical Theatre is running now through August 14 at Battery Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the National Ballet of Canada presents Christopher Wheeldon’s version of the story at Lincoln Center, July 28-31. Go now!
For other opportunities to see free summer Shakespeare, check out the New York City Parks’ website.