Pericles

The RSC/ Swan Theatre

Directed By Tamara Harvey

Wednesday 7^th August 2024

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Pericles, directed by Tamara Harvey in her debut season as Co-Artistic Director, delivers a thorough, if slightly uneven exploration of one of Shakespeare’s lesser-performed plays. Featuring Alfred Enoch in the titular role, the production navigates the complexities of the story with clever staging and moments of high emotion.

Pericles follows the journey of its eponymous hero, a prince of Tyre, as he embarks on a series of adventures marked by trials, loss, and ultimately, reconciliation. The play begins with Pericles undertaking a riddle set by King Antiochus (Felix Hayes) for the hand of his daughter. (Chyna-Rose Frederick) Pericles solves the riddle, but to reveal the answer would also reveal the incestuous nature of the relationship between the King and his daughter, so fleeing Antioch to escape certain death, Pericles embarks on a voyage which takes him across the seas to various lands where he encounters shipwrecks, tournaments, and marriage.

During this time, he meets and falls in love with Thaisa (Leah Haile), and as news reaches Pericles of the deaths of King Antiochus and his daughter, the couple set sail back to Tyre to regain their Kingdom. However, during a storm at sea, Thaisa seemingly dies in childbirth. Fearing that she won’t survive the journey at sea, Pericles takes their newborn daughter, Marina to be raised in the Kingdom of Tarsus, by Lord Cleon (Chukwuma Omambala) and Lady Dionyza (an outstanding understudy performance by Miriam O’Brien) – a family and Kingdom Pericles has previously lifted from poverty.

Years later, a jealous Dionyza plots to have Marina killed, but she is kidnapped by pirates and sold to a brothel, where she remains virtuous despite her trials. The story reaches a climax when Pericles, now a broken man, is reunited with Marina, who restores his faith and hope. Thaisa, who was miraculously revived, is also reunited with her husband and daughter in an emotional and superbly presented finale.

Harvey’s vision for Pericles is ambitious, displaying a minimalist yet imaginative set dominated by a canopy of ropes. This versatile structure is manipulated throughout the performance to represent various elements, from the tumultuous seas to the walls of royal palaces. This approach is one of the production’s strengths, as it allows for fluid transitions and creative staging that capture the play’s epic scope.

The first few scenes of the production do, however, seem to struggle to find their footing. The reliance on mime and montage to convey complex narrative elements whilst visually striking, is distracting and with mixed quality of output. At times these montages obscure the clarity of the story, making it difficult for the audience to engage fully with Pericles’ early journey. Though well-choreographed and supported with a fantastic music score (Claire Van Kampen, composer) they occasionally feel overused, which at times causes the momentum to falter.

However, the production very much finds its stride in the second act. As the narrative shifts from the broad strokes of Pericles’ wanderings to the more focused and emotional story of Marina (Rachelle Diedricks) the staging becomes more grounded. The reduction in mime and interpretative dance enables the actors to work with their characters with authenticity and raw feeling, creating moments of genuine connection and emotional resonance.

At the heart of this production is Alfred Enoch’s Pericles, a role that demands both physical stamina and emotional depth. Enoch delivers a compelling performance, capturing the character’s evolution from a confident young prince to a weary, broken man who finds redemption through his daughter. Enoch’s portrayal is nuanced, showing the vulnerability beneath Pericles’ outward bravery, particularly in the later scenes where he is reunited with Marina.

Rachelle Diedricks is exceptional as an early narrator, who becomes the grown-up Marina in the latter part of the play. Diedricks effortlessly embodies Marina’s innocence, strength, and unwavering virtue in the face of adversity, combining a portrayal which is both delicate and powerful, making Marina’s eventual reunion with Pericles profoundly moving.

Christian Patterson provides much-needed comic relief as Simonides, the jovial king of Pentapolis. Patterson’s larger-than-life performance is a joy to watch, his timing impeccable, and his presence commanding the stage during every appearance. His portrayal adds a layer of warmth and humour that balances the play’s darker moments.

The ensemble cast, which includes Felix Hayes, Miles Barrow, and Chyna-Rose Frederick, is uniformly strong. Ensemble work is what the RSC does really well, and this production is no exception. The entire cast fluidly shift between roles, contributing to the play’s rich tapestry of characters and settings and their ability to create a cohesive world on stage is a testament to their skill and Harvey’s direction.

Despite its uneven start, the RSC’s Pericles ultimately succeeds in telling a complex story with creativity and emotional depth. The innovative use of the set, the strong lighting (Ryan Day) which creates a hot and sultry feel to the proceedings and Harvey’s clarity in drawing strong performances from her cast, all combine to make this a thought-provoking and interesting production of this text. In particular, the production’s second act brings the narrative into sharp focus, allowing the characters and their stories to shine.

In the end, this Pericles is a journey worth taking—one that, like the play’s hero, navigates through storms to find moments of beauty and redemption. The Swan Theatre continues to house bright, promising, innovative and emotionally resonant theatre and this production of a lesser-performed play should appeal to both seasoned audiences and newcomers to the text alike.