Cymbeline
Written by William Shakespeare
Thurs 19th April to Sat 21st April and Tues 24th April to Sat 28th April 2012
Directed by Diana Wallsgrove
Britain is still in the dark ages, subject to the rules and financial levy imposed by mighty bureaucratic Europe. Should it break out and demand independence? Should this be by peaceful diplomacy or through war? This is just one of many themes in Shakespeare's play, his most popular in the eighteenth century, today almost unknown.
Add to that, two narrators, a feisty heroine who dresses as a boy, lost princes, a wicked stepmother, the handsome hero and the idiotic villain AND Act Two being set in Milford Haven (yes, Milford Haven!) and you have a dark fairy tale of love, lust, intrigue, trust, fidelity and betrayal.
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AuthorWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest playwright of all time and is possibly the most famous playwright in the English-speaking world.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon he was also probably educated there however, very little is known of his early life. The next documented event in his life is his marriage in 1582 to Anne Hathaway. The couple had a daughter the following year and twins in 1585. Another gap followed (referred to by some scholars as 'the lost years') with Shakespeare only reappearing in London in 1592, when he was already working in the theatre.
Shakespeare's acting career was spent with the Lord Chamberlain's Company, which was renamed the King's Company in 1603 when James succeeded to the throne. The group acquired interests in two theatres in the Southwark area of London, near the banks of the Thames - the Globe and the Blackfriars.
Shakespeare's poetry was published before his plays, with two poems appearing in 1593 and 1594, dedicated to his patron Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were probably written at this time as well. Records of Shakespeare's plays begin to appear in 1594, and he produced roughly two a year until around 1611. Some of his most famous tragedies (including Macbeth) were written in the very early 1600s. The first collected edition of his works wasn't published until 1623, some 7 years after his death.
Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, and he was buried in the Holy Trinity Church there.
This drama is one of the Shakespeare's great comedy plays. Based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus, it's listed as a tragedy in the First Folio but is often described as a romance. The play deals with themes of innocence and jealousy and while the precise date of composition remains unknown, it was produced as early as 1611.
Cymbeline, King of Britain, takes a new wife who has an arrogant son called Cloten. Cymbeline's beautiful daughter Imogen was expected to marry her new step-brother Cloten. Instead she married the brave, but poor, Posthumus Leonatus. Her father is furious when he finds out about the marriage and banishes Posthumus who goes to Rome. Before he leaves, the couple have just time to exchange love tokens. Imogen gives Posthumus a diamond ring and he gives her a bracelet.
The villainous Iachimo, a soldier in the Roman army, later makes a bet with Posthumus that he can tempt Imogen to commit adultery. Having stolen her bracelet, from her bed-chamber while she slept, he lies to Posthumus that he has won the bet. Faced with what he sees as proof of her infidelity, Posthumus orders his servant Pisanio to kill Imogen, but Pisanio warns her instead. He then helps her fake her death, disguises her as a boy and sends her to Milford Haven. There she befriends "Polydore" and "Cadwal" who, unbeknown to her, are really Guiderius and Arviragus, her own brothers - banished 20 years earlier.
At the play's resolution the Queen, Imogen's stepmother dies and with her last breath, confesses that she never loved Cymbeline and she tried to poison both Cymbeline and Imogen so Cloten, her own son, could assume the throne. Identities are resorted, Iachimo confesses his deception and Imogen and Posthumus are reunited.
A draft of the script can be found here.
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This play will be staged at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre (formerly Havant Arts Centre), East Street Havant - Bench Theatre's home since 1977. It will be produced in conjunction with The Royal Shakespeare Company as part of their Open Stages initiative.
First Gentleman
Frenchman
First Captain (British) | Thomas Hall |
Second Gentleman
Caius Lucius
Second Captain(British) | Roger Wallsgrove |
| Posthumus Leonatus | Jeff Bone |
| Cloten | Mark Wakeman |
Cymbeline
Jupiter | Jaspar Utley |
| Pisanio | Richard Le Moignan |
Cornelius (Doctor)
Belario | Terry Smyth |
| Iachimo | David Penrose |
| Roman Captain | Maurice Lillie |
| Guiderius | Greg Stone |
| Arviragus | Paul Millington |
Attendant
Soothsayer | Claire Lyne |
| Imogen | Alice Corrigan |
| Queen | Ingrid Corrigan |
| Lady Helen | Lorraine Galliers |
Crew
| Director | Diana Wallsgrove |
| Producer | Ingrid Corrigan |
| Stage Manager | Jacquie Penrose |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Maurice Lillie |
| Lighting Design | Phil Hanley |
| Costume Design | Sue Dawes |
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Lambs' version of Cymbeline
Cymbeline is a fairy tale, in essence, with wicked stepmother, lost princes and a feisty princess at its heart (plus Roman soldiers, and one or two other oddities). This Lambs' Tales from Shakespeare version makes for an easy way of reading the story.
The Changing Theatricality of Cymbeline, a dissertation in 4 parts By Diana Wallsgrove
The copyright for this dissertation remains at all times with the author, Diana Wallsgrove. The text within it may not be re-produced in any form, in whole or in part, without her express permission.
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