Pericles
By William Shakespeare. Directed by Edward Rayner
April 2007

Synopsis
Pericles, the ruling Prince of Tyre, having (through no fault of his own) provoked the enmity of the powerful neighbouring state, Antioch, decides to travel for a while to forestall a possible invasion.
He sails first to the famine-stricken state of Tarsus with relief supplies; thence to Pentapolis, where, shipwrecked in a violent storm, he falls in love with and marries Thaisa, the daughter of the king. On the voyage back to Tyre, Thaisa dies giving birth to a daughter, Marina. In accordance with custom, Thaisa's body is cast overboard. Pericles then decides to leave Marina, for safekeeping with the Governor of Tarsus and his wife, Dionyza.
Thaisa's body is washed up on the shore of Ephesus where the Lady Cerimon invokes the help of the goddess Diana to revive her.
Years later, when Pericles returns to Tarsus, he is told that Marina has died in her sleep. In fact, she has been abducted by pirates and sold to a brothel in Mytilene—where she eventually comes under the protection of the Governor, Lysimachus.
In the final act of the play, the presiding spiritual influence, the goddess Diana leads Pericles, and us, to a touching and happy conclusion in Ephesus.
Acts and Scenes
- Scene 1 : Antioch, the King's private chamber
- Scene 2 : Tyre, a hall in the Palace
- Scene 3 : Tarsus, a street
- Scene 4 : Pentapolis, the sea shore
- Scene 5 : Tyre, a room in the Palace
- Scene 6 : Pentapolis, The King’s private chamber
- Scene 7 : On a ship at sea
- Scene 8 : Ephesus, Lady Cerimon’s chamber
- Scene 9 : Tarsus, the sea shore
- Scene 10 : Tarsus (many years later), near the sea shore
- Scene 11 : Mytilene, outside a brothel
- Scene 12 : Tarsus, an open space
- Scene 13 : Mytilene, outside a brothel
- Scene 14 : Mytilene (some years later), near the port
- Scene 15 : Ephesus, at the Temple of Diana
Act One
Interval of 15 minutes
Act Two
Cast and Crew
King of Antioch | Graham Stapley |
Thaliard, his servant | Lee Harris |
Pericles, Prince of Tyre | Tim Secrett |
Sophie Gower, a reporter | Sarah Daniels |
Helicanus, a Lord of Tyre | Roger Boots |
Escanes, a Lord of Tyre | Ronald Taylor |
A Lord of Tyre | Neil Border |
Cleon, Governor of Tarsus | Gerry Schuller |
Dionyza, his wife | Lesley Arnold |
Security guard | Graeme Lake |
Child of Tarsus | Rhiannon Harris |
Sidonie Lake | |
Oliver Venturi* | |
A Lord of Tarsus | Ernest Wallace |
Fisherman of Pentapolis/Knights | Trevor Cullis-Cussens |
Andrew Hindell | |
Gerry Prince | |
King Simonides of Pentapolis | Graham Stapley |
Thaisa, his daughter | Marian Myers |
Lady of the Court | Christine Cullis-Cussens |
Elaine Eardley | |
Mary Wallace | |
A Lord of Tyre | Lee Harris |
Lychorida, a nurse | Elaine Eardley |
Master of the ship | Graeme Lake |
Lady Cerimon of Ephesus | Valerie Rayner |
Philemon, her assistant | Mary Wallace |
A gentleman of Ephesus | Stuart Colbran |
A woman of Ephesus | June Mitchley |
Leonine, servant to Dionyza | Neil Border |
Marina, daughter of Pericles and Thaisa | Lisa Harris |
Pirate | Stuart Colbran |
Graeme Lake | |
Gerry Schuller | |
Pander, a brothel owner | Trevor Cullis-Cussens |
Bawd, his wife | Gill Lake |
Bolt, his servant | Andrew Hindell |
Wench | Elaine Eardley |
June Mitchley | |
Mary Wallace | |
Saxophonist | Gerry Prince |
Gentleman of Mytilene | Stuart Colbran |
Ernest Wallace | |
Lysimachus, Governor of Mytilene | Neil Border |
A Lord of Mytilene | Lee Harris |
The Goddess Diana | Elaine Eardley |
Director | Edward Rayner |
Director's Assistant | Terry Bourne |
Stage Manager | Jo Newman |
Choreographer | Lesley Arnold |
Lighting design | Stuart Green |
Sound design | Edward Rayner |
Continuity | Maureen Hopkins |
Costume | Audrey Pickles |
Make-up | Gill Lake |
Assistant Stage Manager | Drew Baker |
Clifford Conway | |
Sound operation | Rowland Myers |
Lighting operation | Leigh Eardley |
Set construction | Len Lake |
Graeme Lake | |
Set painter | Sally Prince |
Mary Wallace | |
Lighting rigging | Stuart Green |
Box Office | Leigh Eardley |
Front of House Manager | Joyce Bourne |
Publicity | Neil Border |
Publicity Assistant | Elaine Eardley |
Stuart Green |
* denotes a debut on the Rottingdean stage
Performance Dates
Wed 18th Apr 2007 at 7:45 PM There are photographs from other production and events available in the gallery.
Thu 19th Apr 2007 at 7:45 PM
Fri 20th Apr 2007 at 7:45 PM
Sat 21st Apr 2007 at 2:00 PM
Sat 21st Apr 2007 at 7:45 PMPhotographs
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Past Productions
See below for a selection of past productions. The full list can be found in the Productions section.
Dick Whittington (2016)
Leonardo da Panto (2013)
Daisy Pulls it Off (1993)
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