Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is streaming The Winter's Tale for free

The performance, which was directed by Blanche McIntyre, is the latest in a series of Globe Theatre plays to be released online during lockdown.

The theatre company has released a recording of one of the bard's plays every fortnight, including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and The Two Noble Kinsmen.

These plays will only be available for a limited amount of time however, with The Winter's Tale running from 18th until 31st May.

The Globe also plans to make all 34 productions from its Globe to Globe series available for literature lovers at some. The collection features a Korean performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry VI Part 3 in Macedonia, a Polish Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice in Hebrew.

The release of The Winter's Tale follows news of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre calling for urgent funding to avoid the company's collapse.

The theatre, which closed on 20th March, recently warned MPs that it is "critically vulnerable and at risk of closure in the wake of COVID-19" and would need at least £5 million to continue running.

All plays currently released are available to stream on the Globe Player website and YouTube for free.

Other plays due to be released this summer include a 2019 performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor (1st until 14th June) and 2013's A Midsummer Night's Dream (15th until 28th June).

Shakespeare's Globe is not the only theatre company releasing performing during lockdown, with the National Theatre also streaming a number of plays on YouTube – including Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller's Frankenstein.

The Winter's Tale is available to stream on the Shakespeare's Globe Player and YouTube until 31st May.