Pericles: Born in a Tempest NYC Reviews and Tickets

83%

(47 Reviews)

Positive

94%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Clever, Absorbing, Great staging, Intelligent

About the Show

Hunger & Thirst Theatre and the Guerrilla Shakespeare Project production pares down Shakepseare's sprawling tale, distilling the rarely-produced romance into a heartwarming story of the rejuvenating power of family.

The personal storms we encounter during our lifetime are often even more turbulent than the raging tempests sailors experience on the high seas. 'Pericles: Born in a Tempest' is an inventive 90-minute reimagining of the seafaring adventure that places it within a fresh new context: Prince Pericles' journeys come to vivid life for a modern-day woman as she immerses herself in a book her recently deceased father gave her.

Member Reviews (47)

Ambitious, Well-cut, Good set/effects, Uneven pace, Occasionally too broad

See it if you want Pericles made accessible by significant trimming. Well-spoken WS, well-acted. Imaginative. clever direction. Hard-working cast.

Don't see it if you expect a highly polished piece. Broad portions (eg the suitors' battle) undermine the flow. Framing device takes up too much time/space. Read more

Clever, Entertaining, Quirky, Great staging, Delightful

See it if You want a streamlined, modern take on Shakespeare. You want to see a classical play performed by a well-trained cast.

Don't see it if You want to see the full, uncut, 5-act version of Pericles. You don't like intimate spaces & a small cast playing multiple roles.

Critic Reviews (8)

"A heartwarming rendition of 'Pericles'...Director Jordan Reeves manages to achieve clarity in this complex story with delicious simplicity, while liberally applying whimsical, contemporary references...The production features a team of captivating performers who commune in verse but make it sound so natural that they might as well be your next-door neighbors...I was overjoyed to witness the story being told in such a palatable and moving way."
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“A unique and compelling, psychologically sound, serious and often hilarious story of loss, struggle and ultimate redemption through the resolution of conflict that only profound understanding can achieve...Beautifully conceived and directed...The stellar company of actors...profoundly skilled...physically adept...able to bring forth complex serious emotions as well as hilarious surprises. They handle the language with perfect precision and clarity."
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"The story takes off far beyond the simple reading of the text. It takes us to places and times with an ease...The creative team, the cast, and the director all work wonders balancing the mythical fantasy and the reality of these four mourners with a perfectly timed expertise...Thanks to some inventive direction wonderfully executed by the creative team and cast, we are given a solid charmer of a play."
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“A transcendental adult fairy tale. The creators indeed honor Shakespeare’s original vision, complete with the Bard’s genuine dialogue. But through this new re-imagining by creator/director Reeves, THIS ‘Pericles’ takes on a vibe that’s both fantastical and heart-tuggingly real...Accented with humor and performed with zest by a young cast...Hunger & Thirst prove that imagination— with a good dose of creative passion— can go a long way in reinventing a classic.”
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"One of the biggest payoffs for this intimate approach comes when the show complicates Pericles' climactic reunion in a clever and emotionally powerful way. On a lighter note, it also allows amusing speculation for the audience...The cast play their multiple roles with aplomb...'Pericles: Born in a Tempest' is lively, funny, and affecting: a great opportunity to hear an old song newly sung."
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“A powerful piece about family that will leave a lingering impression if not an ache in the heart...The cast comprises only five performers...all notably skilled actors...Reeves’s choice to make this a story-in-a-story at first seemed awkward and unnecessary, but by play’s end it’s the relationship established in those first minutes that connects Shakespeare’s story with the audience, making it living and visceral...A surpassingly good piece of independent theater.”
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"While the play is a little slow to start...it bounds into liveliness once 'Pericles' himself joins the party. The spell cast by the storytellers then reaches its full potency...Director Reeves synthesizes what should be disparate styles into the only elixir which could coax this woman out of her grief - the joy of play, and the romantic sweep of the story...The cast is uniformly strong...The dichotomy of the storytelling is beautifully rendered by the contrast within the design."
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“A play within a play, 'Pericles' is stripped to the essentials with a reimagining of a seafarer’s adventure...Reeves’ concept and direction, along with the design team, was thoughtful, creative and respectful of the space...Together, all the elements of the production (sound, projection, lighting, costumes) created a subtext that allowed the story to unfold. This was a well-crafted production with talented cast to support it.”
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