Review: Stratford Festival HD's THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES Shines on the Big Screen

Stratford Festival HD's 2016 film series comes to a triumphant end with the release of THE ADVENTURES OF PERICLES on Saturday, May 7 at Cineplex theatres across the country, with encore screenings on Thursday, May 12. This live recording on the 2015 Stratford Festival hit is beautifully translated to the big screen in a sweeping production involving 10 cameras and 128 tracks of sounds to create an immersive, high-definition, surround-sound production. The original 2015 production, directed by Scott Wentworth gains eternal life through this screen adaptation directed by Barry Avrich.

PERICLES stars Evan Buliung in the title role of the Shakespeare classic that tells the tale of the Prince of Tyre whose ongoing adventures start with him discovering an incestuous relationship with Antioch, causing him to flee for his life. The resulting play tells the story of the subsequent events of his actions including being lost at sea. The script, normally narrated by Gower is brought to life by Marion Adler who leads a group of priestesses who appear throughout the production. This is one sign of Wentworth's direction that breathes new life into Shakespeare's classic - by adding these stylized and profound elements. The vast production also features gorgeous music that add an overlaying depth of emotion. The songs and music are beautifully captured on screen and are mixed to a high quality.

The beauty of theatre is the intimacy and concentrated emotion felt when engaged with the actors on stage. Thankfully, director Barry Avrich maintains this level of intimacy by pairing wide shots of the stage, with close, on-stage footage that added cinematic depth to the performance. Through this, the Stratford Festival was able to create a unique theatrical experience in movie theatres across the country, making the magic of the festival accessible to all. There is no doubt that Stratford has the formula for Shakespeare down to a science - this recording is proof.

Head over to Cineplex theatres on May 7 or May 12 to experience a high-quality recording of an even higher-quality production direct from the Stratford Festival. Be privy to the magic of the festival - you'll be sure to want to book an actual trip to Stratford soon. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.

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