Cymbeline, by William Shakespeare
Imaginative Production by Thinking Cap Theatre in South Florida
By: Aaron Krause - Dec 08, 2025
In a scene from Thinking Cap Theatre’s (TCT) irresistible production of William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, the villain Iachimo casually tosses aside a book as though it were trash.
In sharp contrast, TCT Artistic Director Nicole Stodard approaches this consistently engaging professional production with evident care. Stodard, her cast, and the entire creative team have clearly thought through each choice, executing their vision with flair and crackling energy. Audiences can experience the result at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, where the show opened recently and runs for three more performances.
The production employs talented performers Peter Wayne Galman, Breanna Michel, Nicole Hulett, Blaine DeBerry, Pablo de Pablo, Manda Gonzalez, Sergio Tamayo, Carey Brianna Hart, Alan Goodman, Omari Miles, Ted Luxana, Nicole Perry (who is also the intimacy and movement director), Christine Chavers, and Dayana Morales.
Why Cymbeline Is Rarely Taught — and Why It Still Deserves Your Full Attention
Many theatergoers may not be as familiar with Cymbeline as they are with Shakespeare’s more frequently taught works. Educators rarely assign it; theater companies seldom stage it. Its sprawling structure, shifting tones, and large cast make it more challenging to teach and produce than the more familiar Shakespeare plays.
Still, the play deserves your full attention — and TCT’s production makes a persuasive case for why this rarely performed work is worth rediscovering.
TCT’s judiciously edited staging runs a little over two hours with intermission, while the uncut version can stretch beyond three, making it Shakespeare’s third-longest play after Hamlet and Coriolanus.
Scholars often classify Cymbeline as a “problem play,” not because it is a problem to watch, but because its plot gleefully blends tragedy, comedy, history, romance, and fairy-tale elements. It resists neat categorization. Some even call it Shakespeare’s “kitchen-sink play.”
In practice, though, this late romance proves enchanting, humorous, and unexpectedly moving — a mashup of styles that rewards attention rather than confounds it.
A Fairy-Tale World with Emotional Stakes
This highly physical production, at times darkly funny (anyone for a game of catch with a severed head?), also brims with earnest emotion. Stodard’s directorial approach leans into the play’s fairy-tale qualities, which is fitting: Cymbeline offers a convoluted chain of events unlikely to unfold in real life. Expect hidden identities, extraordinary schemes, violent acts, improbable coincidences, and a surprisingly tidy ending.
The play shares similarities with another of Shakespeare's late romances, The Winter's Tale. If you'll recall, that play jarringly shifts from a dark, tragic first half (jealousy, death) to a pastoral, redemptive romance in the second, with a 16-year gap and bizarre elements like a bear attack and a statue coming to life.
Cymbeline touches on timely and timeless themes: betrayal, power dynamics, gender roles, forgiveness, reconciliation, and the tension between imperial domination and national independence. Certainly, with incompetence on display in today’s halls of government, it’s timely — and reassuring — to experience a show about incompetence in a royal court from an early 17th-century play.
Plot and Pace
The play is set in ancient Britain. Long before the story begins, someone abducted King Cymbeline’s two sons, leaving him with one remaining child, his daughter Imogen. His boorish stepson, Cloten, is now heir to the throne, and Cymbeline expects Imogen to marry him. Instead, she secretly weds the commoner Posthumus Leonatus — an orphan raised at court but lacking rank, wealth, or status.
After Imogen and Posthumus’s clandestine marriage, the king banishes his new son-in-law. From there, Posthumus foolishly wagers on Imogen’s fidelity, she is falsely accused of infidelity, and she flees. Disguised as a boy, she ends up serving as a page for the invading Roman army. As in many of Shakespeare’s comedies, order eventually restores itself: Imogen clears her name, discovers her long-lost brothers, reunites with Posthumus, and Cymbeline makes peace with Rome.
Under Stodard’s careful direction, the action unfolds at a pace that is easy to follow; you rarely feel lost. Still, as with any Shakespeare play, a quick plot summary beforehand can help if you’re not used to the language.
Language and Delivery
Fortunately, this cast is a strong guide. The actors speak the text with clarity, pair their lines with unforced gesture, and believably express each emotional turn. They sound as though speaking Shakespeare’s Early Modern English is second nature to them. They also listen intently and respond in ways that feel spontaneous and alive — physically and emotionally.
Smart Staging and Design Choices
The production begins with a prologue recited by “celebrity readers” before the official action begins. During the reviewed performance, radio host Julie Guy delivered the prologue with clarity and enthusiasm that set the tone for this vibrant production. In TCT’s staging, cast members then enter from the audience seating area, symbolically linking Shakespeare’s ancient text to today.
Next, the ritualistic secret marriage unfolds — a staging choice that literalizes the phrase “tie the knot,” with a ribbon wound around the couple’s hands.
Music plays a key role. Fairy-tale-like underscoring lends the proceedings an otherworldly aura, while propulsive, dramatic sounds heighten the often fast-paced action. In addition to directing, Stodard deftly co-designed the sound with TCT Managing Director Bree-Anna Obst (sound engineer Gonzalo Garcia), resulting in a clear, crisp sound that renders each effect and spoken word understandable.
The cast performs on a sparse set that looks enchanting and seasonally appropriate. Snow-coated Christmas-like trees line the stage. Overhead, papers suggesting written letters hang from the ceiling and also appear in the projection design — fitting for a play in which letters and written communication proliferate.
Ironically, the hanging papers obstruct our view of Obst’s projections. We can make out bits and pieces, but little more. Thankfully, this is one of only a couple of shortcomings in an otherwise impressive production. The other involves some costume choices. For instance, why is the loyal servant Pisanio (a sincere Gonzalez) dressed in black? Surely she is an honorable character better suited to lighter hues. Similarly, the title character’s dark attire seems mismatched to his disposition. Otherwise, the period clothing Stodard designed is apt, with villains appropriately clad in black.
Obst’s lighting includes reflections of light from a silver disco ball overhead. These shadows of light reinforce a celebratory air during upbeat scenes. Harsh, blinking red light enhances the battle scenes with disorienting intensity, while a greenish hue underscores the play’s pastoral moments.
Performances: A Deep Bench of Talent
TCT’s production features seasoned performers as well as those newer to Shakespeare, but all deliver believable, nuanced, and energetic performances that breathe vibrant life into their characters.
Galman’s Cymbeline and Hulett’s Commanding Queen
Galman is one of the cast’s most experienced performers, with many Shakespeare credits to his name. While the title role isn’t the largest (Cymbeline speaks roughly 290 lines, about 300 fewer than Imogen), Galman brings energy and nuance to the king. With wide, dark eyes and an often uncertain, reactive demeanor, he conveys a ruler who is indecisive and easily flustered. Watch him move his fingers nervously, grin foolishly, or stumble — gestures that underscore a man more reactive than commanding.
By comparison, Nicole Hulett’s Queen consistently projects authority: her upright posture, sharp voice, and decisive presence frequently make her the one in charge. A sly determination flickers in her dark eyes — a clear signal that not all of her intentions are benign.
Together, Galman and Hulett form a credible royal pair. Their interactions — holding hands or exchanging fleeting glances — suggest affection and shared history, even if their bond isn’t as romanticized as other couples in the play. The contrast between Galman’s hesitant, almost comical king and Hulett’s commanding queen adds comedy and conflict to the courtly scenes.
Michel’s Defiant, Luminous Imogen
Michel offers a standout performance as a naturally defiant Imogen who is unapologetically herself and refuses to back down. Her voice conveys strength and confidence, while her expressions remain unforced and believable — including the credible look of sheer disgust when Iachimo tries to seduce her. Her posture suggests resoluteness; her moments of grace and liveliness feel organic. She even lets out an utterly convincing squeal of joy at one point. Conversely, her face registers palpable horror when the moment calls for it.
When Imogen disguises herself as a male page, Michel shifts her posture slightly and seems to gain a second wind — a small but convincing transformation.
DeBerry’s Excellent Shakespeare Debut
While actors like Galman and Michel boast previous Shakespearean credits, this production marks DeBerry’s first professional Shakespeare show. Yet as Posthumus, he looks and sounds like a seasoned classical actor. With youthful vigor, enviable poise, and a fearless demeanor, DeBerry calls to mind an intense yet natural Tom Cruise in a heavyweight role. At times he shakes with anger and conviction.
He and Michel share strong chemistry as the play’s love-struck couple. Watch as Posthumus leans into Imogen and kisses her hand under Perry’s thoughtful movement and intimacy direction — the pair look every bit a couple meant to be.
Standout Supporting Performances
Goodman shines in the complex role of Belarius, the unjustly banished nobleman who becomes a wise, loving father figure. Goodman imbues him with gravitas and a sincere sense of regret.
A marked distinction emerges between nobles and villains. Tamayo and Pablo ooze sliminess as Iachimo and Cloten, respectively. Tamayo’s Iachimo resembles a snake slithering on the ground as he crawls toward Imogen. His unpredictability and sharp comic timing enliven the scenes. Pablo’s Cloten — with wicked laughter and forceful stride — makes you fear for whomever attracts his attention. Pablo doubles as an ancient, eccentric doctor who may remind you, perhaps, of the biblical Moses.
A Rare Chance to See Cymbeline, Delivered with Imagination
Cymbeline poses challenges for any theater company, with its jumble of styles and genres — and if you miss TCT’s production, you may not get another chance to see one anytime soon. Give TCT credit for boldly presenting the piece. Indeed, as unwieldy as this behemoth of a play can be, TCT finds a throughline that holds it together. By presenting the story as a magical, enchanting storybook come to life, Stodard and company persuade us that in this universe, anything is possible.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Thinking Cap Theatre's professional production of Cymbeline.
WHEN: Remaing performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, as well as 6 p.m. Sunday. The final performance will include a talkback.
WHERE: Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe St. in Hollywood, Fla.
TICKETS: Go to www.thinkingcaptheatre.org or call (310) 500-6448.