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This open air production was as close to a theatre workshop as an audience could hope to get.

The group of local actors were handed their scripts at 9am on Saturday and by 7pm they were on stage to present their interpretations of a little known Shakespearean play.

Of course no one had remembered all their lines or completely assimilated their character but each was forced to rely on their own imagination and improvisation to get the story across.

The result was to bring an element of spontaneity and depth of feeling to the characterisation that might have been lacking in a sanitised and word-perfect production.

Pericles is not a popular Shakespearean play and the plot is sometimes tortuous and the action frequently skips from one location to another.

The story line is typical Shakespeare with double dealing, murderous plots and apparent tragedy only for everything to come right in an emotional climax at the end.

Pericles dragged every drop of emotion from his role as the ill-fated prince beset by woes and Marina was convincing as the daughter kidnapped by pirates from her evil guardians.

Director Nicholas Quirke did a brilliant job with a minimalist set to bring the best out of his actors and to bring the action to life.