The Romance Cycle, Court Theatre. This two-part adaptation of Shakespeare’s late romances Cymbeline and Pericles achieves an engaging informality and intimacy thanks to the warmhearted energy of the fine cast and to director Charles Newell’s concept, executed by set designer John Culbert, of eliminating the fourth wall between actors and audience. The auditorium and stage floors are covered by wall-to-wall white carpeting, turning the space into an oversize living room where we watch the cast enact their parts like parents viewing the make-believe games of their kids. The effect is enhanced if you leave your shoes at the door and walk around in your socks, as the house staff invites you to do. If you attend both parts of the cycle on a single day, which Court encourages, there’s the added attraction of a Greek buffet served onstage between them.
