King Leontes of Sicilia is seized by sudden and terrible jealousy of his wife, Hermione, whom he accuses of adultery. He believes the child Hermione is bearing to have been fathered by his friend Polixenes, and when the baby girl is born he orders her to be taken to some wild place and left to die. Leontes' cruelty has terrible consequences, but Hermione's child escapes death, and is brought up as a shepherdess. Loss paves the way for reunion, and life and hope are born out of desolation and despair. Sinea Cusack plays Hermione and Ciaran Hinds plays Leontes. Eileen Atkins is Paulina and Paul Jesson is Polixenes. Time the Chorus is played by Sir John Gielgud. Unabridged. 2 cassettes - 2 1/2 hours.
