The Winter's Tale
From April to June 2012, Shakespeare’s Globe brought theatre companies from around the world to perform all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in 37 languages. The Globe to Globe season was part of the World Shakespeare Festival for the London 2012 Festival.
The Winter’s Tale is no longer available but you can still see some of the Globe to Globe plays featured on The Space.
THE WINTER’S TALE – ITAN OGININTIN
Performed in Yoruba by Nigeria’s Renegade Theatre
(with English subtitles)
THE COMPANY
Lagos-based Renegade Theatre began life in 1998 under Oluwole Oguntokun, staging a production which was critical of the military regime ruling over Nigeria at the time. The troupe produces plays on a weekly basis at the city’s Terre Kulture arts centre.
THE PLAY
When Sicilian king Leontes becomes convinced his pregnant wife Hermione is having an affair with his closest friend Polixenes, King of Bohemia, he is so enraged he banishes her newborn child, while Hermione apparently dies of grief. Sixteen years later, the child, Perdita, having been raised in Bohemia by shepherds, is in love with Florizel, son of Polixenes, who forbids their marriage. The lovers travel to Leontes’ court seeking happiness, which they find – in ways nobody expected.
PRINCIPAL CAST AND CREDITS
Leontes: Olawale Adebayo
Polixenes: Olarotimi Fakunle
Hermione: Kehinde Bankole
Perdita: Oluwatoyin Alli-Hakeem
Director: Oluwole Oguntokun
Translator: Tade Ipadeola