Propeller - The Winter's Tale

[Jan McNulty]

Propeller Theatre Company are back at the Lowry this week with The Winter's Tale and Henry V. We saw The Winter's Tale last night.

 

I love this company and the way the females in the plays are played by men wearing women's clothes (as opposed to men pretending to be women, if you see what I mean). This is a terrific production. The court of Leontes is dark and dour and the Bohemia of Polixenes is full of colour, light and fun. The start of act 2 in Bohemia was an absolute hoot with the entire company dressed as - well I don't really know how to adequately describe the silly wigs and outfits that many of them were wearing but they really worked.

 

Propeller is very much an ensemble company but I must say that Robert Hands as Leontes, Richard Dempsey as Hermione and Vince Leigh as Paulina were absolutely outstanding.

 

The same actor, Ben Allen, played both Mamillius and Perdita and the way the final moments were enacted showed not only the joy of the reunified family and friends but also, extremely movingly, the tragedy of the loss of a beloved son.

 

This was a wonderful night out. Please go and see this wonderful company at a venue near you. They are in Hampstead at the beginning of July.