Pericles

Synopsis

Pericles is offered the chance to win the hand of King Antiochus s daughter if he can solve a riddle. However solving the riddle reveals a terrible secret about the King that puts Pericles in mortal danger and sets him off on a death-defying voyage. The story takes place in a wondrous and timeless world, on a whirlwind journey through strange kingdoms and across perilous oceans. Pericles faces ruthless tyrants and rival suitors, surviving battles and shipwrecks on the adventure of a lifetime.

Our Review:

20 November 2006

The Swan has been transformed into a round space for this late romance which, tempest-tossed as it is and bent on themes of exile and familial estrangement, is a close companion to The Winter’s Tale – also showing here – and The Tempest, both written in the twilight of Shakespeare’s career.

The stalls have been removed, creating an extended acting space which is shared with members of the audience and which is dominated by a curved ramp descending from the first circle to the ground. Those opting to stand are not only in the thick of the action, but often find themselves gently encouraged to interact, as in the feasting or communal dancing at the court of Pantapolis.

There’s thus a thrilling intimacy to be gained by this production which opens in an African Antioch, ruled over by a Mugabe-like dictator. Surly militia armed with machine guns brusquely herd the groundlings around in a scenario which echoes Cheek by Jowl’s production of Macbeth two years a...

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Latest User Review

84.66.105.207) - 3 January 2007:

I loved Cooke's "Cymbeline" of a few years ago, one of the few productions of the play to cope with both the sublime and ridiculous elements, and was really looking forward to seeing "Pericles". Despite some nice touches - I've never seen the brothel scenes done better - "Pericles" wasn't quite the overwhelming experience it can be. Lucian Msamati never really plumbed the depths of his character, but the supporting cast more than made up for his shortcomings. Ony Uhiara (Marina), Joseph Mydell (Gower) and Linda Bassatt (Bawd/Cerimon) were on top form. I saw a matinee performance at which promenaders were few and far between, as a result of which there were many wide open spaces and some clumsy shepherding of a handful of people, but on the whole I enjoyed it. Only the princes' sportingmost recent, and very lavish, production of the play at the RST and Roundhouse. ...

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