Pericles, Shakespeare's Globe, London
The Globe gets tossed out to sea
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Shakespeare's wooden "O" comes with strings attached in Kathryn Hunter's production of the Bard's late romance. Ropes dangle above the stage and from the encircling galleries, wonderfully transforming the whole theatre into a ship for this tale of King Pericles' storm-tossed journey through life. Criss-crossing seas, he woos an incestuous princess, loses his bride, then miraculously reunites with wife and child at the close.
The tempest scenes are haunting, with acrobats spiralling down the ropes like drowning sailors. Patrice Naiambana is joyously vibrant as Gower, turning the archaic narrator into a chatty, ad-libbing and ululating West African storyteller. The idea of him healing the psychologically scarred elderly Pericles (Corin Redgrave) by getting him to look back at his younger self (Robert Lucksay) makes poignant sense too. However, Hunter's directing is patchy. Redgrave (who unfortunately fell ill last week) shines when verse-speaking but is adrift during the physical theatre routines; while the Slovakian Lucksay - formerly mesmerising in Kneehigh's The Bacchae - is comically charming but struggles with his iambic pentameters.
To 1 October, 020 7401 9919
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments