Circus Retelling of ‘Pericles’ Enchants

As a Shakespeare “problem play,” so named because it delicately toes the line between cookie-cutter comedy and tragedy, “Pericles” can be difficult to stage. However, the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production that ran in the Adams Pool Theater from Nov. 7 to 9 managed to do it—and well, due to a strong core of actors. Directed by Matthew H. Munroe ’17 and produced by Rachel A. Harner ’17, “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” presented a compelling tale of trial and tribulation for its namesake protagonist (Nathaniel J. Brodsky ’18). He almost comically encounters tragedy after tragedy including fires, sea storms, and the presumed death of his wife Thaisa (Lily K. Calcagnini ’18)  and daughter Marina (Julia Belanoff ’18)—before arriving at a long-awaited family reunion and a happy ending.

The production took the characters from the courts of ancient Greece to a new setting: the circus. Though the language remained Shakespearean, this circus setting was reflected in several of the characters: narrator Gower, played by Michaela J. Kane ’18, fit seamlessly into the role of a ringmaster; Bronte Lim ’18’s portrayal of noble Cerimon as a fortune teller added mystique to her uncannily accurate predictions; Marina’s role as a tightrope walker mirrored her own struggles in navigating innocence and maturity. Leib I. Celnik ’18 and Aidan Campbell ’17 played the Fishermen, reimagined as circus clowns, adding a new contrast between the clowns’ garishly cheerful attire and their dark comments.

Though the set was relatively simple—the main set elements were a canvas painted like a striped circus tent and a few wooden boxes—the design transformed the muted tones of the Adams Pool Theater into a vivid and fitting backdrop for a circus show. The design proved extremely versatile: minimal additions were made for different scenes: for example, adding a lavishly decorated table for a feast scene and a tawdry “brothel” sign to denote a location change later in the play. Apt lighting choices also allowed for the development of different moods: a warm, wistful golden wash for a death scene, a cool range of blues for the many sea storms that occur throughout the play, a clean white glow for the timid conversation that leads to the reunion of Pericles and Marina. Music was also effectively used—thunder and rain sounds for the storms at sea, and a playfully loose classical waltz for a dance scene at a banquet. The elements of sound and set shifted throughout the play to support the storyline and added to the believability of the storm's devastation and the joy of the reunions.

Since this “Pericles” production featured a cast of just 11, it was important that each actor delivered well. This proved to be the case, and actor talent drove the play. Kane’s use of sweeping hand gestures and vocal inflections in her portrayal of narrator and ringmaster Gower contributed to a sense of grandiosity that fully transported the audience from the Adams Pool to a timeless circus. Brodsky’s thoughtful, assured demeanor as Pericles made it easy for the audience to get behind his character. Actors who played doubles—such as Calcagnini in her portrayal of Thaisa and Diana, and Aislinn E. Brophy ’17 in her portrayal of Dionyza, Bawd, Second Fisherman, and Daughter—were largely able to use differing stances and attitudes to portray through body language the shift from one character to another.

Despite those successful character changes, the fact remains that 11 actors cannot play 20 characters without flaws. As a result, the majority of actors played two parts, and though wigs and other costume elements were used to differentiate between the parts, seeing the same faces in each scene led to an overall feeling of confusion as audience members scrambled to figure out who was portraying who and who was now portraying a different who. Another point of confusion was the increasing difficulty of incorporating a circus show into Pericles’s antics throughout the play—as Pericles travels between countries, gets lost, and encounters governors, royals, and political officials, the audience is left to wonder how the circus roles play into it.

Despite its shortcomings, the play does have its poignant moments. When Marina is kidnapped by pirates and sent to work at a brothel, Belanoff’s honest courage in the face of having her virginity “auctioned off” to the highest bidder is touching. Though Pericles’s capacity for being the victim of tragic life events is almost astounding, Brodsky’s experience of the trials and tribulations tend to generate empathy rather than pity in the audience, and there is a sense of relief in the play’s happy ending. “Pericles” reminds us that, though there are always rough patches in life, it gets better. After all, “all’s well that ends well.”