The only lacking point in the performance was the tie between the Civil War and the plot of the story. The two identities of the performance seemed detached and slightly irrelevant, only connecting in certain spots, such as Abraham Lincoln representing the oracle. While the moving idea of unsegregated true love and equality appeared, it could have been developed more and intertwined into the traditional story by expanding on the circumstances of racial prejudice.
During a festival scene that was subject to last-minute changes, as Florizel (who is an African-American male in this adaptation) is celebrating with the rest of the community, a shepherd (sophomore Gabe Doyle) makes a lynching gesture at him. The interaction is brief and is intended to show the racial prejudice that was happening during this era. Whereas elsewhere the Civil War setting seemed ill-defined, in this scene it adds meaning to the events of the play. Regardless, the deep connection between the injustice of racism during the Civil War and the plot of The Winter’s Tale felt lost. Even here, where the Civil War setting takes on real significance, just how that setting furthered Shakespeare’s thematic interests remains unclear.
Despite being a bit unclear as to how the original Shakespeare play and the Civil War era connect, the ideas of unconditional love, forgiveness and rebirth, as well as the sensational acting and spectacular effects brought a standing ovation and a triumphant closing to this year’s Shakespeare play. The lessons learned from the story can be meaningful to each of our lives; this story can serve as a warning about the dangers of envy, rivalry and mistrust.
Lizzy Filine can be contacted at [email protected].
Photos by Kendall McGowan.
For more photos from the production, check out the Drama Society’s website.
