Pericles, Prince of Tyre is one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays, but in the hands of the talented and enthusiastic Arden Theatre cast, this tale of adventure, drama and romance unfolds magically before our eyes.

Congratulations are due to the cast for faultlessly mastering Shakespeare’s lines of prose and poetry. Not only were the words spoken with authority, but the jousting, courtly dances, murder, shipwreck and mayhem were also delivered with authentic gusto. The main parts – Pericles, (played by Phil Mace) and Gower the narrator, ( played by Tessa Taylor) were the two omnipresent characters convincingly portraying their pivotal roles whilst most of the rest of the cast shifted seamlessly between being at one time a courtier, then a crew of fishermen, a goddess, a servant, a news reporter, etc. (I haven’t personally had much truck with prostitutes, but the inhabitants of the brothel had me instantly convinced that they knew what they were doing!) All these changes of character were accomplished with a confidence that made each of them authentic and believable. No mean feat! 

The multitude of costumes were ingeniously devised, as was the one set, which effectively depicted numerous locations ranging from a palace to a shipwreck to a brothel. The lighting, and particularly the sound effects, dramatically enhanced the believability of the action.

Director John Moss has managed to direct the large cast and crew involved in “Pericles” with his usual imagination and creativity. All in all, “Pericles” is a major accomplishment on the part of a talented and dedicated group of people.

LB