Cheek by Jowl

Internationally acclaimed theatrical powerhouse Cheek by Jowl returns to Oxford Playhouse with its stunning production of The Winter’s Tale.

Shakespeare’s tragicomedy smashes all the rules. Unity of time, place and action are hurled aside as we range across Europe, from court to country, from high tragedy to low comedy, across a time span of sixteen years.

The Winter’s Tale tells of a delusional and paranoid king who tears his family apart. But this is Shakespeare after he completed his great tragedies, and the tough struggle for redemption yields flickers of hope. Initial darkness gives way to joy as time leads the characters to a shattering conclusion.