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by William Shakespeare, directed by Leon Rubin

Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford

May 31-October 31, 2003

“Design First, Words Second”

The Stratford Festival has given one of Shakespeare's lesser-known works a spectacular production which should win the play many new fans.  Visually director Leon Rubin has brought "Pericles" to life as never before.  If only the level of the acting matched the show's physical production, one could sing the show's praises wholeheartedly.  But for many the visual and aural excitement of the production will be enough to carry them along.

"Pericles, Prince of Tyre", here pointlessly retitled "The Adventures of Pericles", is the first of Shakespeare's series of "romances" which include "The Winter's Tale" and "The Tempest".  All of these plays emphasize the cycle of life from birth, death to rebirth, all are about the art of storytelling through theatre and all, because of their view of man's relation to providence, feature divine intervention.

The theme of theatre as story is emphasized by featuring as narrator the poet Gower himself from whose works the narrative derives.  Rubin underlines this point by having Gower's nearly naked body painted totally in white emerge from the white satin sheet that cover the stage at the beginning.  He is thus a literally embodiment of the stage and its power.

Shakespeare's original play shifts from one location to the next around the eastern Mediterranean as Pericles flees the wrath of the wicked king Antiochus.  Perhaps because the play is double-cast with "The King and I", Rubin has widened the scope of what would have been exotic for Elizabethans to 16th century locales that are still exotic for us:  Tyre becomes Greece, Antioch is North Africa, Pentapolis is Japan, Ephesus is Thailand and Mytilene is Bali.

The show is a real triumph for designer John Pennoyer.  His costumes are historically and culturally informed and incredibly beautiful.  With so many colours and styles represented, Pennoyer has sensibly clad the Festival stage entirely in a matte white to make them stand out the better.  The white background also allows lighting designer Michael Whitfield to explore an imaginative play of colours that enhances every scene.  Most of the play is accompanied by music composed and played by Bruce Gaston after the style of the various places represented.  Its sensuous, gamelan-inspired rhythms and textures are so evocative the Festival should issue a recording of it.

Rubin brings visual excitement to scene after scene.  Pericles' battle with four well-armed contestants for the hand of Thaisa is thrilling, but surely the one scene that combines the talents of Pennoyer, Whitfield, Gaston and choreographer Donna Feore to their fullest is the fantastic ceremony whereby Pericles wife, thought dead, is brought back to life.  Rubin brings our senses to near overload and ought to have made the first act end here instead of dribbling on a few scenes more.

While Rubin is excellent at staging the showiest parts of the action, he does Goad no favours by pulling back on the emotions in Pericles' two unlooked-for reunions--first with his long-lost daughter Marina, second with his wife Thaisa presumed dead.  These should be the highpoints of the drama, and Rubin, who until this double climax has had the audience in the palm of his hand, could have brought them to tears that the pain the three main characters have suffered is finally and miraculously over.  Yet, inexplicably, Rubin goes for the comedy of unexpectedness in both cases rather than bringing out the poignant mixture of joy, regret, thankfulness and humility that these scenes can convey.  This cheats both us of the emotional release and the actors of the choicest parts of their roles.

If the acting were up to the level of the staging the impact of this spectacle would be overwhelming.  Sad to say, but the weakest link in the cast is Jonathan Goad in the title role.  He has presence and can emote broadly, but he no knack for speaking verse.  For most of the play he rushes through Shakespeare's verse as if he were reading the newspaper, pausing occasionally for a choice few words, before rushing off again.  Without bringing out the nuances of the verse he loses the nuances of character and his character's important responses to the world around him.  This is all the more noticeable when most of the rest of the cast speak verse more clearly than he does.

Fortunately, Thom Marriott as our narrator Gower, is excellent.  Unlike Goad he seems to relish the beauty of Shakespeare's poetry and uses it to draw us into the action.  His diction is absolutely clear and his warm tone continually suggests the pleasure Gower has in revealing wonders.  Also impressive is Haysam Kadri in the difficult role of Lysimachus, the prince who visit Marina in a brothel only to be converted by goodness by her virtue.  He masterfully negotiates the shift from indignation to wonder with both conviction and clarity.  Michael Therriault does a fine comic turn as the harried Bawd's servant Boult.

Many of the others--Karen Ancheta (Thaisa), Charles Azulay (Simonides), Kyle Blair (Pandar), Donald Carrier (Helicanus), Nazneen Contractor (Marina), Stephen Russell (Cleon) and Peter van Gestel (Philemon)--perform well but without the insight that would make their characters memorable.

There is much more subtlety to be brought out than Sarah McVie does as the Bawd.  The same is true of Wayne Sujo as Cerimon, Anthony Malarky as Antiochus and Robert King as Escanes. Brigit Wilson is far too weak to make Dionyza the villainess she should be.

While Rubin has certainly captured the magic and epic sweep of the play, there's no doubt that a finer cast would make Gower's tale more gripping and much more moving.  Anyone who saw Richard Ouzounian's 1986 production starring Geraint Wyn Davies will know that this play can thrill through fine acting alone .  For many the gorgeous spectacle of this production will be enough.  If that brings more people to see the play and to cherish the chance to see Shakespeare's lesser-known works, so much the better.

Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in TheatreWorld (UK) 2003-06-15.

Photo: Cast of The Adventures of Pericles. ©2003 Stratford Festival.