by Carl Grose and Anna Maria Murphy
seen at Shakespeare's Globe on 22 June 2017
Emma Rice has adapted and directed the original Kneehigh touring production of Tristan & Yseult for this revival at Shakespeare's Globe, where Dominic Marsh plays Tristan and Hannah Vassallo plays Yseult with support from Mike Shepherd (King Mark), Niall Ashdown (Brangian and Morholt), Kyle Lima (Frocin) and Kirsty Woodward (Whitehands), and various musicians.
It's an eclectic piece, with various songs and ballads of loneliness and difficult love, an occasional use of the opening of Wagner's prelude to establish serious intent, imposing verse speaking from King Mark and a more conversational tone from almost everyone else, modern dress which somehow looks timeless, but sailing ships for transport and only knives and fists for weapons.
