"Death is shown to be, like life, a chain...That grief is at the heart of Arbus’s interpretation, and is almost enough to make the disparate pieces of this strange play hang together...Most productions I have seen work too hard to make these elements emulsify. Arbus doesn’t try; rather, she emphasizes the lumps...Mostly Arbus depends on the excellent cast to squeeze the ripe Shakespearean language for all it’s worth...You may never hear a Paulina as fierce as Mahira Kakkar."
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"The tonal dissonance is jarring. Director Arbus attempts to unify 'The Winter’s Tale’s' disparate parts by bookending them with their emotional opposites: The dark half opens on a lighthearted note, with a bear dancing in the snow, and the lighter one concludes with the ghost of a child. In between, the drama is frequently overwrought and the comedy sometimes too broad; but there are magical moments, too."
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"Arbus embraces everything that, down through the centuries, has been labeled problematic about 'The Winter's Tale'...A connection has been forged between the two halves, something that isn't found in every production of 'The Winter's Tale'...Arbus guides her company with the steadiest of hands...So much does this production exude an air of purpose that when forgiveness arrives in the surprise appearance of a statue that comes to life, it doesn't feel the least bit forced or tacked on."
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"Arin Arbus and Theatre for a New Audience have news for you: 'The Winter’s Tale' is about Paulina. Fearless, truth-telling, proto-feminist Paulina...Aside from the antics of pickpocket/peddler/all-around rogue Autolycus (played by the exceptional Arnie Burton) the pastoral elements of the play grow a bit tiresome...Thankfully, soon enough, you’re jolted back to Sicilia and into the capable hands of Paulina, who’s about to make some magic happen and anthropomorphize a Hermione statue."
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"Arbus's production doesn't avoid all of 'Winter's' potential pitfalls, but it does admirably grapple with them head-on...After the tragic half, the play's comedic half achieves much-needed equilibrium. That's not necessarily an indication that the production wasn't on firm footing earlier on. Arbus seems too deliberate in and aware of the tragedy's chaotic tone...Arbus's production starts as impossibly grim, but leaves us grateful for the gift of a hopeful ending."
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"Burton’s Autolycus is a delight, as he breaks the fourth wall and interacts with audience members...The mostly top-notch acting aside, Arbus’s team creative team rounded out a crisp, elegant production...This iteration of 'The Winter’s Tale' is an ideal production for both Shakespeare aficionados seeking a (finally!) complete version of the play, as well as those who want an easy-to-follow version of this sometimes confusing, often illogical, but, of late, much beloved Shakespeare play."
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"The production stays true to form, preserving almost the entirety of Shakespeare's original text. More importantly, Arbus' direction preserves the spirit of the work: quietly brimming with wonder...The most famous moment in 'The Winter's Tale' is the statue scene; and here, both the dynamic cast and Arbus' inspired direction are at their very best...You're not likely to see a more lovely, more faithful, or more magical production of Shakespeare's great transformation play."
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"A wonderfully rendered production of one of Shakespeare's 'problem plays'...Filled with intense psychological drama...An ending that is surprisingly a happy one...Arbus has decided to utilize the bear as a tell-tale sign...Arbus' point is solid in the making even as it doesn't fit entirely well with the mood of the first half...Quickly paced, with all of this action flying by at a well orchestrated and confident speed...Redemption and reconciliation are the fundamental key of this play's metamorphosis."
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