Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale mixes humor and drama in a story involving a pair of friends who are driven apart by jealousy. And since the two friends are kings, the story ends up being rather intense. This summer, the American Players Theatre (APT) in Spring Green puts on a well-polished production of the Shakespeare classic. The best performance belongs to that of David Daniel, who stars as a king driven to madness by suspicions that his wife (played by Colleen Madden) is having an affair with his best friend, the visiting King of Bohemia (Matt Schwader). Daniel vividly portrays a tragic figure who only understands his errors in the end.
While the production is solid, it lacks a certain spark of inspiration. The clever costuming, conceived by Robert Morgan, flows gently in the summer breeze of APT's outdoor theater, the set is tasteful and minimalist, and the sound design solidly punctuates performances. It's yet another enjoyable production of Shakespeare, but in the end it feels as though there's something missing.
The American Players Theatre's production of The Winter's Tale runs through Sept. 26.
