3.5 out of 5 stars

Stories about irrational tyrants obsessively pursuing grievances have extra resonance lately, which benefits the Shakespeare in the Park production of the problematic "A Winter's Tale." Elegant sets highlighting the natural backdrop also help; so does a commanding cast led by Raúl Esparza and Lily Rabe (as despotic king and suffering queen) and Chuck Cooper (savior of their castoff daughter). But director Daniel Sullivan hasn't resolved Shakespeare's odd tonal shift that calls for Act I's unreasoned brutality to melt into Act II's comedic romance. And at well over three hours, the production overextends a drama that begs to be sped up. — Adam Z. Horvath

Presented by the Public Theater at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater, through Aug. 23, 2026; publictheater.org. (Review date: Aug. 12, 2026)