The Winter's Tale

This afternoon, I went to see "The Winter's Tale" at The Old Vic Theatre...after the burlesque show last night, I think I may be balanced again.  :)  Of course, I managed to get lost on my way there (I actually went to the wrong Tube station...fortunately, I started my journey ridiculously early to allow time for becoming lost), but I collected my ticket, purchased my program, and made my way to my seat without any issues.  I, being the frugal college student, purchased the cheapest possible ticket online (£20) and was thus seated in the second from last row of the uppermost balcony.  There were only two other people in my row and no one was in the row in front of me, which meant that I actually had a great view of the stage (and I could see the stage manager).  The theatre itself is lovely and much more spacious than it seems from the outside, which is probably due to its height.  The production was both simple and visually stunning: the perfect balance of natural beauty.  It was directed by Sam Mendes (who directed American Beauty, during which he became friends with Kevin Spacey, who is the Artistic Director of the Old Vic...you learn something new every day!), and I could definitely sense hints of American Beauty in some of the design elements...mainly the music that played over several of the scenes.  The cast included both American and British actors, many of whom Sam Mendes has directed previously either in film or theatrical works (including Simon Russell Beale, Sinead Cusack, Richard Easton, Rebecca Hall, Josh Hamilton)...the one with whom I was most familiar (maybe because I watched Reality Bites shortly before leaving home) was Ethan Hawke, who essentially stole the second act.  I loved the play itself (which is my typical reaction to Shakespearean works when I am first exposed to them), although the plot had more climaxes than The Dark Knight (yeah, I said it!).  The production design was in a Renaissance-esque time frame, although the time period was not strictly maintained (the costumes were the only indication of a specific time, and they varied...my favorite was a light green toga worn by Perdita during the beginning of the second act...oh, and I got the reference with the name "Perdita"...it means "lost" and she is "lost" as an infant...the Spanish minor randomly helps me once again!), and this production featured some of the most beautiful lighting effects I have ever seen onstage: The first few scenes featured artificial candles that were flown in to different levels far upstage, as well as several rails of actual lit candles, which were extinguished by the actors during a scene change.  There were also some dramatic shifts from natural lighting to a deep blue wash with a white followspot during soliloquies, which I had never seen used as a way to justify the soliloquy...very effective, in my opinion.  Most of the scene changes utilized actors, as it was a minimalistic set (mainly chairs and tables), but the shifts were choreographed as beautifully as the few dance moments.  At the end (the statue scene, for those who know it), I could feel the tears forming, although I managed to maintain my composure this time.  The play was very moving, though, and the acting was superb.  It was an afternoon well spent, I think!