By Liz Eichler
The seldom-produced Pericles is now on stage at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and while it may not rank among Shakespeare’s greatest hits, this production makes a strong case for climbing aboard.
Briefly, it is the story of a prince who is shipwrecked, finds a wife, is shipwrecked again, and loses both wife and daughter—yet somehow, it all ends happily… and with a dance.
While the script is no Othello or The Tempest—and may not be entirely Shakespeare’s—it offers compelling characters and rich thematic ground. Pericles is a traveler navigating a world where hospitality and deception blur, relying on fate and divine intervention to guide him. Virtue is rewarded (Marina), while corruption (Cleon, Dionyza, and Antiochus) is ultimately punished. It’s an uneven play, but one that wrestles with endurance, faith, and moral clarity.
Four Reasons to See This Show
Canon – For Shakespeare completists, Pericles is a rare opportunity. Its authorship is debated. The first half attributed to George Wilkins–and you can hear the shifts. Some passages flow with Shakespearean ease; others feel more mechanical. The structure is also unusual, relying on a narrator–John Gower, a famous medieval poet– to piece together the stops on the journey. Here, Cary Davenport is Gower, playing and and singing his own rock compositions with skill and clarity, often backed up by multi-talented ensemble members.
Sci-Fi Theme – Framed as a sci-fi adventure (think Star Trek), Pericles becomes a spacefaring captain encountering strange new worlds. It’s a smart conceptual match for the play’s episodic structure—though not every stop along the journey lands equally.
Easily Digestible – CSC makes this complex story accessible. Between printed program notes, projected narration, and clear visual storytelling, the production offers helpful guide rails without feeling heavy-handed. Costumes and physicality distinguish the many worlds, and a lobby display of design renderings adds another layer for those who want it.
Q-KIDZ – The delightful Q-Kids return (last seen in The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream), adding charm and energy. Their appearances—particularly during the sparring contest and in Act Two—provide levity and visual cohesion just when the story needs it.
Direction and Design
Under the direction of Brian Isaac Phillips, with assistance from Liz Carman, the production leans fully into its sci-fi concept yet keeping the narrative largely clear while spanning space and time. It is an audience-centric production, from the unique theme to the interactive staging. The entertaining fight scenes are by Gina Cerimele-Mechley adding excitement and variety. Choreographer Susan Jung orchestrates the lively dancing by the cast and the Q-Kidz.
Andrew Hungerford’s expansive set evokes the bridges and corridors of Star Wars and similar universes. Large portholes reveal planets and stars, while video projections allow for communication across worlds. These projections are among the strongest seen at CSC, and, along with the lyric displays, create a technically impressive environment. At times, the sheer volume of visual information competes with the storytelling on the stage—but it’s an impressive problem to have.
Costumes by Rainy Edwards incorporate inventive sci-fi elements—glowing accents, helmets, and layered looks that help actors shift between roles seamlessly. Kayla Cieslinski’s wig work further supports these transformations. Standout designs include Antiochus and his daughter, the pirates, and the varied suitors for Thaisa’s hand—along with Cleon’s unforgettable pumpkin breeches (worn with particular flair by Billy Chace).
Performances
Giles Davis brings depth and humanity to Pericles, balancing strength with visible emotional wear. He captures both the heroism and the toll of the journey, making Pericles’ endurance admirable. While he looks for adventures in this world, he holds his losses in his heart, but journeys on.
Aiden Sims’s Thaisa provides the emotional anchor of the piece. Warm and regal, Sims ensures that Thaisa’s presence is deeply felt—even in absence—giving real weight to Pericles’ longing.
Jasimine Bouldin brings an inner strength and quiet power to Marina. A character who could easily be played as purely a victim instead feels grounded and resolute—so firmly moored in her values that she transforms those around her, most notably in her encounter with Lysimachus.
Kelly Mengelkoch adds welcome humor and clarity as Simonides. The character’s motivations—particularly in granting Thaisa’s hand to Pericles—come through cleanly, and Mengelkoch’s performance provides one of the production’s more playful, human moments.
The ensemble—Geoffrey Warren Barnes II, Billy Chace, Cary Davenport, Jeremy Dubin, Hannah Gregory, Hayley Guthrie, Jim Hopkins, Sylvester Little, Jr., Courtney Lucien, Elizabeth Chinn Malloy, Barry Mulholland, and Patrick Earl Phillips—handles the production’s many shifts in character with agility. In a story this sprawling, their distinctions keeps the journey from drifting.
The Q-Kids Dancers include: Journey Allie, Dilynn Burr, Za’kari Clark, Queen Hadden, Shalin Harmon, and Taylor Tolliver.
Challenges Within the Play
Pericles includes material that can be difficult for modern audiences, and this production does not entirely soften those edges. The brothel scenes involving Marina—where her fate is commodified—are unsettling–I couldn’t help but think of a certain couple in prominent headlines. Phillips could have leaned into this, but so glad he didn’t. Also, the early implication of incest between Antiochus and his daughter, in one of the most beautiful designed scenes, is jarring.
The sci-fi concept itself occasionally creates friction with the text. Not every moment translates cleanly (the fishermen scenes, for example) but some elevate it (space pirates). While the blend of genres won’t work for everyone, for some, the concept clarifies the journey. Others may feel it complicates it. Your mileage may vary.
Overall
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues its commitment to presenting the full breadth of the canon, offering audiences the chance to encounter lesser-produced works like Pericles. It may not be a favorite, but this production is visually inventive, accessible, and often engaging.
For Shakespeare completists—or anyone open to a bold, genre-bending theatrical experiment—it’s worth the journey.
Even if it means battling the FCCincinnati crowd for parking.*
Tickets
Pericles runs through May 3, 2026, at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Otto M. Buddig Theatre. Tickets are available through the CSC Online Box Office or by calling 513-381-2273.
Runtime is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including intermission.
*Parking Tip: Because OTR attracts crowds to FCCincinnati, Music Hall, Washington Park, other theatres and more, purchase parking at the lot next to CSC when purchasing tickets. Or use the 12th Street Gateway Garage, using the entrance and exit off Central Parkway.
