Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Genre: Drama
Opened 2 June 2005
Written: By William Shakespeare
Directed: Kathryn Hunter
Cast: Corin Redgrave (Pericles the Elder)
Synopsis: Having discovered a dangerous secret at the court of Antiochus, Pericles is forced to flee his own kingdom and wander the world. He arrives, shipwrecked, in Pentapolis, where he is saved by fishermen and wins Princess Thaisa for his wife. Shortly afterwards, however, Thaisa dies at sea giving birth to a child: Marina. Pericles fosters this daughter to a friend. When Marina is also reported dead some years later, he falls into a speechless grief. The story culminates in the redemption of the long-suffering Pericles through a series of seeming miracles.
Other Info: A Modern practices production exploring clothing, music, dance and settings possible in the Globe of 2005.

What the critics had to say.....
SARAH HEMMING for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "The performers tend to go over the top at moments of high emotion." PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "Spectacular and sensitive, knockabout and nuanced, mugging and mysterious production..." MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "A radical new version that has passages of fitful brilliance but that over-complicates this moving resurrection myth....Where Hunter's production scores is in its use of six aerialists to illustrate the story. At various points, as they swing vertiginously from the theatre galleries." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Corin Redgrave's Prince of Tyre is at least as touching with Laura Rees's Marina as he was when his Lear went through a similarly uplifting reunion with Cordelia earlier this year.." JOHN THAXTER for THE STAGE says, "Not entirely trusting the play, Kathryn Hunter turns her modern dress production into an overlong, circus-like entertainment, compered by Patrice Naiambana's Gower as a wisecracking ringmaster, plus a troupe of high-flying aerialists who do dangerous things on ropes."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Guardian
The Independent
The Stage
The Times
Financial Times

Originally published on

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