By William Shakespeare. Heartstring and Burning House Theatre Companies. Collingwood Yards. 15 – 25 May 2024
The rarely performed Cymbeline is a melodrama – a tale of treachery, betrayal, sibling rivalry, deception, revenge, guilt and innocence, love, loyalty and forgiveness, murder, misogyny, peerless virtue, cross-dressing, and rapid movement – and warfare - between ancient Britain and Rome. Some have called it a comedy. Others a romance. (There are elements of both.) It has been loved by some and derided by others. Dr Samuel Johnson remarked that, ‘This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but t