@ Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, Tues 6 October 2015

William Shakespeare casts a long shadow over theatre, literature and storytelling in general. 2016 will be mark four hundred years since his death and The Bard and his work is still a focus of fascination for writers and readers alike. Jeanette Winterson is present at the Traverse Theatre this evening to discuss her latest book The Gap of Time. The book in question is the authors own take (or “cover version”) on the Shakespearian Classic The Winter’s Tale.

The event begins in an unfamiliar style akin to book launches. The lights dim and The Shoop Shoop Song by Cher is amplified around the theatre space. This is indeed a book launch with a difference. A short video is then projected to the back of the stage which illustrates Shakespeare’s influence on popular culture. We see clips ranging from Star Trek, Willy Wonka and Shakespeare in Love. The author then takes centre stage and invites the audience on a journey back to 1611 and to The Globe Theatre in London. We are witness to a performance of The Winter’s Tale in a theatre that can hold over three thousand people. Winterson puts the play into context and opens the door to discuss her contemporary take on the story. She describes The Winter’s Tale as “Othello on speed” and has updated the story to occur during the recent financial crisis.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of experiencing Jeanette Winterson read her work knows she takes to the stage with ease and confidence and instills a sense of magic to her readings. Winterson is passionate and eloquent and this is something she expresses this evening while entertaining an engaged audience. She presents an extract from the start of The Gap of Time and her reading is enhanced with sound effects and music. This gives the story a tangible and almost three dimensional feel as Winterson delivers a taster of the book and the sets up tragic plight of the characters.

Successfully tackling Shakespeare requires skill and a love of the source material. Jeanette Winterson evidently has both these traits and expresses this through her passion for words and desire to tell fascinating stories.