The Winter’s Tale,  The Courtyard Theatre Stratford-upon-Avon. Review by Peter Rhodes

This is the Royal Shakespeare Company between celebrities.

After the excitement and bums-on-seats factor of David Tennant, Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen on the stage in recent shows, here’s the newly-reformed company doing something special in a great production with no big names.

David Farr’s three-and-a-quarter hour spectacle is a magical event and a great night out. The special effects alone are worth seeing.

The great height of the Courtyard is used to full effect with props and characters appearing from the heavens and there’s some wonderful music directed by Bruce O’Neil.

Leontes, King of Sicilia, is driven mad by jealousy. Accusing his queen Hermione of adultery with his best friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia, he sentences her to death and orders his newborn daughter to be abandoned in the wilderness.

As courtly culture gives way to lunatic chaos, the massive bookcases at the court of Sicilia tumble over, spewing thousands of volumes whose pages become a blizzard on the stage. It is a stunning moment. You can’t help wondering who puts all those books back on the shelves for the next performance.

The play, involving a 16-year time gap, follows a most unlikely plot. It can work only if the actors bring total conviction to the stage – and they do.

Greg Hicks is a raging, tortured Leontes, unswayed by the wise counsel of all around him, including Camillo played by John Mackay who exudes integrity and nobility.

The Winter’s Tale gives us one of Shakespeare’s strongest women, Paulina.

She seems to be the only man among them as she defends Hermione and dares to confront Leontes with his own stupidity – a fine performance by Noma Dumezweni.

Kelly Hunter is a perfect Hermione, bewildered yet defiant as she is denounced, imprisoned and has her baby ripped away. In the final scene she is reunited with her daughter and remorseful husband, posing as a statue which comes to life. Full marks for holding that elegant statuesque pose, rock-steady for several minutes.

The play contains Shakespeare’s most famous stage direction: “Exit, pursued by a bear.” The loyal Antigonus (James Gale), having tearfully dumped the

unwanted baby in the wilds, is devoured most satisfyingly by a massive, growling creature with glowing eyes. The kids will love it.

Whether you would want the kids to see the fertility dance, a riotously funny caper with huge inflated phalluses, is another matter.

There were a few empty seats on press night which suggests there will be space later in the run which ends on October 3. It is well worth seeing.

Box office: 0844 800 1110.