Shakespeare's Pericles, here in a version by Chris Bush with music by Jim Fortune, is the first Public Acts production with a cast of over 200 people from local communities, including only a handful of professional actors and actresses. The company are of all different ages, shapes and sizes, coming from a vast range of different cultural and religious backgrounds. And they are all on stage together as one big family. This is the theme that has been extracted from Shakespeare's original and made into the overriding themes of the evening - community, family and home.
Four chorus members holding lanterns introduce us to the story's protagonist - Prince Pericles - who arrives on stage dressed in plenty of bling and clutching a fizzy drink. Having angered Antiochus by trying to woo his daughter, Pericles is banished from his homeland Tyre. After leaving Tyre he initially finds himself in Tarsus, where he is greeted by a welcome band, complete with young children dressed up as jellyfish! However, he is turned away from Tarsus and after setting sail again, he eventually finds himself in Pentapolis. There he falls in love with the princess Thaisa, and the two quickly get married. After feeling homesick, Pericles and his pregnant wife set sail for Tyre again on a very stormy sea...
The potentially confusing story is made very easy to understand for everyone - the production is entirely family friendly. There were lots of younger children in the audience and their attention was held the entire time by the story which was performed with an abundance of energy by the company. The music (and dancing that accompanied it) also helped to make the play more engaging for the younger audience.
The potentially confusing story is made very easy to understand for everyone - the production is entirely family friendly. There were lots of younger children in the audience and their attention was held the entire time by the story which was performed with an abundance of energy by the company. The music (and dancing that accompanied it) also helped to make the play more engaging for the younger audience.
As well as the core company members who perform throughout the production, there are also a series of cameo performances from different groups. The groups ranged from the Bhavan Centre Drummers who provided the music and entertainment at Thaisa's coming of age birthday party, to The London Bulgarian Choir who sing hauntingly beautiful melodies after Pericles' shipwreck and the death of Thaisa. Other cameo performances included Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders and Faithworks Gospel Choir.
With the professional actors interspersed among the other company members, it never felt as though they were carrying the show - it truly felt like an act of community the whole way through. Such a large, diverse cast made it so much fun watching all the different characters within the chorus. Some members of the chorus gave really fantastic performances, delivering their lines with extraordinary clarity and emotion. Perhaps for some company members it is the start to a career on stage? There were the people who fully immersed themselves into their characters, those who perhaps forgot a bit of the dance and needed to look round for assistance, the young kids waving at their family in the audience. Helen Adesanya as young Marina stole the hearts of the audience with her solo lullaby, as did one young break-dancing superstar! Something that was apparent across the board was that everybody seemed to be having an absolute wail of a time, especially in the raucous dance scenes in Myteline (with Kevin Harvey in fabulous drag as Boult!), and at Thaisa's birthday in Pentapolis. It was so uplifting to see everyone on stage grinning away; the elder company members particularly appeared to be having a blast as they wiggled and shimmied during these celebrations! What was also wonderful was that no one was held back for any reason - the material was inclusive and everyone had an equal role to play, including those at either end of the age spectrum, and people with crutches or in wheelchairs.
As well as festivities and fun, Emily Lim uses her huge chorus to create extremely poignant and expressive moments, such as the violent waves created by company members holding mirrors and circling Pericles, and after his bereavement when they are lying on the floor only occasionally moving, creating the eerie stillness of the waves after the storm.
As well as festivities and fun, Emily Lim uses her huge chorus to create extremely poignant and expressive moments, such as the violent waves created by company members holding mirrors and circling Pericles, and after his bereavement when they are lying on the floor only occasionally moving, creating the eerie stillness of the waves after the storm.
The National Theatre is the theatre for everyone, and so it is really special to see such diversity, not just on the stage but also in the audience. This provides an unbelievable experience to both the company members and the people who are able to come to the theatre and see people like them on stage.
This adaptation of the play has made the story easy to follow and engaging. At the end of the day, you cannot help but enjoy and be entertained by a community who look to be having the time of their lives, proudly presenting the audience with a wonderful show.
This adaptation of the play has made the story easy to follow and engaging. At the end of the day, you cannot help but enjoy and be entertained by a community who look to be having the time of their lives, proudly presenting the audience with a wonderful show.