From Nov. 15 to 16, the Wellesley College Theatre Department (WCT) presented Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” a collaboration between the department and South Korea’s Soonchunhyang University. The production was a theatrical and artistic success, with multiple sold-out shows. From open to close, the Ruth Nagel Jones Black Box Theater was adorned with draping white fabrics, welcoming the audience into the lyrical world of Shakespeare.
“The Winter’s Tale” is split into roughly three parts, set in ancient Greece. Over the course of the nearly three-hour play, the audience travels along with the cast through plotlines of accused adultery, tragic death, espoused love, and at the end –– spoiler alert –– a glorious reconciliation.
Each of the play’s actors put on a truly marvelous performance that was larger than life; exactly what theater acting should be. The energy and choreographed physicality on the part of the actors –– as well as the creative team who directed them –– was able to overcome the linguistic boundaries of Shakespearean English, now outdated to most ears. Additionally, the incorporation of song and dance into the play’s second part, performed largely by Soonchunhyang’s actors, was a fascinating choice which broke up the traditional “straight play” structure. Donned in traditional and vibrant Korean hanboks and set against an abstract digital background to show the passage of time and space, the design choices enhanced the creativity present within this Shakespearean adaptation. The story existed in a space both historical and modern, and somehow also a time that has never occurred –– the perfect way to keep Shakespeare fresh even when maintaining the script, one that was first performed in 1611.
Overall, the collaborative “Winter’s Tale” between WCT and Soonchunhyang University’s theater department was beautifully executed, despite the constraints of language and the limited time (less than one week) spent rehearsing together. Such collaborative efforts add greatly to the cultural richness of campus and to the theater scene in general, and the Wellesley community should see this play as an opportunity to continue such collaborative efforts in the future. While “The Winter’s Tale” has wrapped up here in Massachusetts, the entire cast and crew will travel to South Korea for more performances during winter break in January 2025. To the entire creative team: break a leg!
Contact the editors responsible for this story: Ivy Buck, Norah Catlin
