Pericles is a challenging play filled with sea journeys and storms, and (like Winter's Tale) spans decades, travels to many countries, includes a wife coming back from the dead, and shifts protagonists halfway through. This piece of Shakespeare (not entirely by Shakespeare) is considered one of his "problem plays" and is rarely produced. I was eager to take a crack at it on the Marquette stage.
The play is introduced by a chorus, Gower, as "a song that old was sung" - or an old story even in Shakespeare's time, told anew. Our "Gower" was the ensemble telling our tale in a theatrical style. The story includes an offstage joust, which I turned into an onstage melee, which segued into a playful pillow fight. It also includes an incredibly touching reunion between father and daughter.
Despite its epic scale and parade of kings, I saw the story as one about good parenting (and good governing).
The play is introduced by a chorus, Gower, as "a song that old was sung" - or an old story even in Shakespeare's time, told anew. Our "Gower" was the ensemble telling our tale in a theatrical style. The story includes an offstage joust, which I turned into an onstage melee, which segued into a playful pillow fight. It also includes an incredibly touching reunion between father and daughter.
Despite its epic scale and parade of kings, I saw the story as one about good parenting (and good governing).
|
|
The knights perform a dance.
|
"This play is not a tragedy, and nor is the production of it...veering from exceptionally funny to sweetly romantic to crushingly sad. Throw in a gang of unruly pirates and an epic, slo-mo fight scene, and you've got yourself a crowd-pleasing play!"
-Mary Boyle, Ozaukee Living Local |
|
|
|
|
Scenic Design - Stephen Hudson-Mairet, Costumes - Rebecca Gardner, Lighting - Cor Christophe
