Pericles - A Hero Tossed on the Seas of Fate.

Pericles directed by Tamara Harvey. Photo (c) RSC.

Pericles at the RSC Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon until Saturday 21 September.

Reviewed by Wynne Lang

Pericles is one of Shakespeare’s less well-known and infrequently performed plays. Dating from around 1608, it was omitted from the first folio of his work, only appearing in the third. It is now widely believed that Shakespeare was only responsible for writing the last three acts of the play.

Unusually for Shakespeare, the play features a guide/narrator, Gower, who introduces each act. In this production, Gower, excellently played by Rachelle Diedericks, transforms in Act IV into Marina, Pericles’ long-lost daughter, which adds dynamism as the drama reaches its resolution.

Pericles is one of Shakespear'e lesser known works. Photo (c) RSC.

At the play’s start, Pericles has solved a riddle set by the king of Antioch, but in so doing revealed that King’s dark secret. He has to flee, pursued by a murderer. He sails to Tarsus, where he rescues the city from famine with the grain he carries in his fleet. He is then shipwrecked and cast ashore at Pentapolis. Aided by fishermen who trawl up his armour, he competes in a tournament there, defeats all-comers, and wins the heart of Thaisa, the King’s daughter.

Married, with Thaisa pregnant, he sails back to Tyre, but another storm sees Thaia apparently die in childbirth, her coffined body being cast overboard by superstitious sailors. Back to Tarsus, where baby Marina is left to be brought up by Cleon and Dionyza there. Later, as a teenager, Marina is taken by pirates and set to work in a brothel in Mytilene, where she defends her virtue with astonishing success. Thaisa’s coffin was washed up at Ephesus shortly after the storm, and she is found alive. Believing her family dead, she joins the temple of Diana to live as a nun. There is, of course, a happy ending.

An excellent cast. Photo (c) RSC.

If it sounds exhausting and a bit ridiculous, you’d be forgiven for thinking so. Small wonder it’s not performed very often. All credit to the RSC then for resurrecting it and making it work. In lesser hands, who knows?

The episodic structure of the play as outlined above, presents staging problems, as does the relative lack of action, storms and tournament apart. The direction, by Tamara Harvey, deals with these issues imaginatively and effectively. For instance, scenes set in different locations are sometimes staged simultaneously, which is not as confusing as it sounds, and gives the drama coherence.

A play with emotion and depth. Photo (C) RSC.

Terrific choreographed ensemble work provides an animated backdrop when characters at front of stage are in dialogue –  imagine the relief figures on a Grecian urn coming to life and dancing! And the sensible decision to dress the cast in costumes appropriate to time and geography is important to this too. It really wouldn’t work in modern dress. There are musical interludes, and the live playing by the five musicians is top class.

What makes this production stand out though, is the excellent cast. Given that two parts on press night were played by understudies, there was not a weak link in the performance. Alfred Enoch as Pericles was superb, and a future star. He was convincing as a young man making his way in the world but excelled when having to age. His reconciliations with his daughter then his wife could have been mawkish and sentimental, but he gave both emotional and depth. There was real chemistry too, between him and Leah Haile, who was also excellent as Thaisa.

Engaging and imaginative. Photo (c) RSC.

This is by no means an amusing play, but there was a lot of audience laughter. Credit to cast and director for mining the potential humour in lines or gestures, and to Christian Patterson as Simonides, father of Thaisa, for a wonderful comic portrayal which didn’t reduce the character but made him completely believable.

You probably won’t have read or seen Pericles, so now’s your chance. Not one of the Bard’s greatest to be sure, but you will be entertained by an engaging and imaginative production.

For tickets go to: https://www.rsc.org.uk/