Pericles Redux

Three lean, shaven-headed figures in black hooded cloaks crouch on the stage to play a game of dice. This sinister trio represent fate, and whichever of the three actors wins the game takes the lead position for the first dance in John Farmanesh-Bocca’s production of Pericles Redux. It’s a quirky start to a re-interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre which itself is far from ordinary.

The Not Man Apart physical theatre ensemble employ an eclectic mix of acting and dance to present the odyssey of Pericles. The epic tale is condensed into a production lasting just over an hour and during which none of the cast ever seems to stop moving.

The cast of seven juggle playing a huge number of different characters with unflagging zeal and energy. Some of their costumes would, admittedly, be enough to make Shakespearean aficionados balk: Pericles’ daughter, Marina, is clad in a tartan miniskirt, whilst the Goddess Diana wears a barely-there negligee. Yet the impressive athleticism of its performers—as well, perhaps, as the choice of a relatively lesser-known Shakespeare play—means that the majority of the audience embrace the idiosyncratic nature of Farmanesh-Bocca’s production.

The last sequence of the show is a somewhat disappointing end to an otherwise excellent production. Seemingly a redux of the just-seen redux, Pericles is once again flung, literally, into the hands of fate. The Prince relives his tumultuous adventures one more time in a whirlwind scene which detracts from the integrity of the previous hour. Despite this, Pericles Redux is a creative adaptation which makes for an enjoyable show.