The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

Hermione was discovered, the applause of the audience broke with immense force. 9
    By far the most spectacular production, however, was at the Princess’ Theatre in 1856, when, as the London
Times
review put it, “Mr. Charles Kean’s principle of making the stage a vehicle for historical illustration was never carried out so far as in his revival of the
Winter’s Tale
.” 10 Archaeological research supplied details for the Sicilian setting which opened with a view of the Temple of Minerva at Syracuse, followed by a Greek banquet in Act 1, enlivened by the introduction of dances including the “warlike Pyrrhic dance” with “[t]hree dozen ladies of the
corps de ballet
, attired in glittering armour as youthful warriors.” Hermione’s trial in Act 3 took place in the theater at Syracuse. The previously banished figure of Time now reappeared as
    an episodical allegory, consisting of three distinct tableaux—first, by that contrivance which allows stage goddesses and spirits to fly without visible ropes … we have Luna in her car, personified, accompanied by stars, who are personified likewise.These disappear to make way for Time—not the old gentleman, with sithe [
sic
] and hour-glass, but Chronos, father of Zeus—who delivers his speech sitting on this mundane globe, as its ruler. He is succeeded by Phoebus in his car, copied from Flaxman’s shield of Achilles, and an antique vase. This group, while it has all the effect of an exquisite piece of sculpture, is lighted in a manner that almost dazzles the eye, and it is impossible to conceive the solar glory more vividly personified. 11
    Meanwhile, Bohemia reverted to Bithynia so as to allow maximum contrast with the barbaric tribes of Asia Minor for the pastoral scenes when “the sheep-shearing holyday is heightened into a Dionysiac orgie [
sic
], in which something like 200 dancers are employed.” 12 Florizel was played as a breeches part (a male part played by a female actor) by a Miss Heath and Ellen Terry made her first stage appearance as Mamillius. 13 Kean’s production provided not only “gorgeous spectacle, but good and sufficient acting,” 14 and the play’s enthusiastic reception seems to have been enhanced by the presence of Queen Victoria on the opening night. The satirical magazine
Punch
was less impressed, claiming:
    Mr Punch has it upon authority to state that the Bear at present running in Oxford Street in the
Winter’s Tale
is an archaeological copy from the original bear of Noah’s Ark. Anything more modern would have been at variance with the ancient traditions reproduced in the drama. Further, by one of those curious coincidences that too rarely repay the industry of genius, we hear that among the engagements of scene-shifters newly made at the Princess’, there are three individuals named HAM, SHEM, and JAPHET. 15
    The chief innovation in the 1887 production was American actor Mary Anderson’s doubling of the roles of Hermione and Perdita. The show opened in Nottingham before transferring to the Lyceum and going on to a triumphant tour of the United States. Critical views were divided, most feeling that Anderson was more successful asPerdita and criticizing the cutting of the text as well as Anderson’s verse-speaking. The London
Times
was blunt:
    There is small advantage in having the Bohemia of Shakespeare’s fancy restored and the crazy archaeology of Charles Kean discarded if such tampering as this with a Shakespearian subject is to be allowed. Nor does the evil stop here. To the grotesque effect of the doubling of the parts in the statue scene, must be added a certain confusion of identity between mother and daughter which detracts from the spectator’s enjoyment of the play as a whole. 16
    In 1906 Herbert Beerbohm Tree produced another spectacular three-act version with a text cut by nearly half to allow for change of the elaborate sets, which