This somewhat unlikely tale seems to work so well as the subject for Christopher Wheeldon's choreography that disbelief is easily suspended for the evening. The opening and closing acts have the meat of the story with the middle act mainly a vehicle for showcasing the skills of the stars. These were considerable with Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae as the happy young lovers. In the first act, Edward Watson as Leontes gave the usual extraordinary demonstration of his ability to contort while accompanied by Lauren Cuthbertson as his wife.
The free programme/cast list helpfully gave the synopsis but the choreography and dancing were so clear that it was hardly necessary. All that I was unclear on was the chemistry between Polixenes (Federico Bonelli) and Hermione (Lauren Cuthbertson). By the time of one of their final meetings amongst the statues, it seemed more than adequate to stoke the fantasies of jealousy that had taken hold of the espying Leontes.
The sets were excellent, particularly the tree of Act 2 and all the principal dancers were more than worth the ticket while the orchestra too ensured a magical evening.
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