Pericles

A young prince is on the run after he solves the riddle presented by an evil king. The prince is caught in a huge storm and is rescued by fishermen just in time for him to enter a tournament to win the hand of the beautiful princess of the island. The cast of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents this wild tale as a sea story, even singing a number of the rhyming couplets as sea chanties. The ensemble uses their American accents to good effect, keeping the fast-paced Elizabethan language sounding clear and understandable. As for who actually wrote the 1606 play, most scholars lean toward a collaboration between the Bard and a dramatist/pamphleteer named George Wilkins. B.P. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Shakespeare's romantic comedy offers strong vocal characterizations by notable classical actors. Sir John Gielgud brings the narrator Gower to life with articulation and clarity, and Nigel Terry excels as Pericles. The other 20 cast members maintain dramatic energy for the entire play. Pericles knows the answer to the king's riddle, but revealing it will endanger the hero, so he runs away. The play tells of the young man's tour of the world and his experiences, which include abduction by pirates, visits to brothels, and the loss of his own daughter, until, of course, all is resolved. It's a pleasure to hear Shakespeare performed with such clarity and focus. M.R.E. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine