Conte d'hivern

In A Winter’s Tale, Shakespeare shows us how easily an individual can cause harm and, in doing so, open up the path to their own self-destruction. However, by setting the action at a royal court, he also reflects on the dangers of totalitarianism. Moreover, he explores the conflict involved in being a king, a husband and a father, for the conflict between duty and conscience is another important theme in the play. This production of the Conte d’hivern is austere and simple, because what interests me are the emotional processes, for emotion is the focal point and centre of the play.