When she chose it, director Mary Zimmerman was well aware that "Pericles" is rarely performed. Denied acceptance into the standard Shakespearean canon because the first two acts were actually written by George Wilkins, the play is generally considered by critics to be a trial run in the "tragicomic" romance style. However, Zimmerman appreciated the room to experiment granted by low expectations and saw a potential "box of delights" in its simplicity. Her faith, as well as her creative staging and a crack team of collaborators brought with her from Chicago, make the Shakespeare Theatre's production of "Pericles" a thoroughly pleasant surprise.
However, the production is not without its glitches. To say the first two acts are linguistically weak is an understatement. The iambic pentameter is forced, and the jokes are more "pie-in-the-face" than tongue-in-cheek. The cast is obviously aware of this, but instead of shying away from the challenge or overcompensating, it fully embraces it. The actors are the first to poke fun at themselves by emphasizing a flimsy rhyme and physically enforcing the humor. This lighthearted approach repeatedly drew appreciative laughter from the audience and allowed minor characters, especially the suitors and King Simonides, to frequently, though temporarily, steal the stage from Pericles.
The audience is completely absorbed into the fairy tale world created by Zimmerman and company from the moment it enter the theater to thunderstorm sound effects. The clean lines and uncomplicated patterns of Mara Blumenfeld's costumes add to this sensation once the curtain goes up; Pericles looks like a Ken doll and Antiochus is reminiscent of a nutcracker. The melodic motif is repeated so often that it is like opening a music box, but with enough variations to keep it from becoming stale.
The highlight of the play is Zimmerman's unique approach to transitions and scenery. Most of the props come out of a "magical" shelving unit at one side of the stage. Scenery often consists of only a few chairs or brightly colored sheets that are manipulated for effect. The window at the back of the stage is used so frequently and in so many different ways that it begins to take on a life of its own.
T.J. Gerckens is to be highly commended for his work with the lighting. His attention to detail and daring use of red, particularly in the first few scenes, draws the audience to notice things with a certain emotional undertone without beating them over the head with it.
Unfortunately, when Shakespeare does take over in the third act, the play becomes more tragedy than comedy and actually begins to drag on. The cast does its best to keep the energy level high, but its irreverent manner seems at odds with Shakespeare's rather maudlin intentions.
The weak point of the play is Pericles (Ryan Artzberger) himself. During the first half, he refused to fully commit to the joking attitude of the rest of the cast and, as a result, came across as either overeager or simply haughty. Contrasted with this, during the second half his attempts to be funny fell flat amid the more serious performances of his colleagues. Artzberger seemed to take himself a bit too seriously; though with a resume like his, he is probably entitled to. However, one would hope that such an experienced actor would appreciate the seriousness of a reunion scene and not detract from it with funny voices.
Despite what most critics say, the first part of the play is more enjoyable than the part actually written by Shakespeare. This is not due to the script, but to the obvious joy the cast takes in performing. Also, Wilkins' weaker writing is more conducive to the sheer theatricality of Zimmerman's visual feast.
The play is much better on stage than it could ever have been in print. While unlikely to make it into the accepted canon, Zimmerman has directed a Shakespeare that artists, children and hopeless romantics will thoroughly enjoy.
