Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Cymbeline (06/29/05 - 07/02/05) Bozeman Montana Listing Type: Event City: Bozeman Montana Region: Yellowstone Country 406-994-3901 http://www.montana.edu/shakespeare

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Posthumus arrives in Rome, where he meets the unscrupulous Iachimo, who claims that no woman can have the beauty and fidelity that Posthumus claims to have in Imogen. But Posthumus has faith in his love and when Iachimo proposes a wager that he can seduce Imogen easily, Posthumus accepts the challenge. Iachimo hastens to Britain, where he is rebuffed several times by Imogen and sees at once that she can never be won.

Back at the palace, the malicious stepmother has arranged for her physician to create a poison. The queen then gives this poison as a gift to Pisanio, a servant and friend of Posthumus, telling him that it is a 'restorative medicine'. She hopes Pisanio will give the potion to Posthumus. The physician, distrustful of the wicked queen, prepares instead a type of sleeping potion. This is given to Pisanio.

Iachimo, still striving for Imogen, is nothing if not crafty. The rogue hides in a chest carried into Imogene's room, and then steals her bracelet while she sleeps. He also takes note of a mole upon her breast. Armed with detail and her bracelet, Iachimo tells Posthumus that he has won the bet, whereupon Posthumus gives up the ring given to him by Imogen. Posthumus, in anger and despair at Imogen's inconstancy, sends a letter to Britain instructing Pisanio to kill her. Pisanio instead warns Imogen of the anger of Posthumus, and Imogen flees Cymbeline's court disguised as a page named Fidele. He also gives the potion to Imogen as a gift.

While this is happening, Cymbeline angers a Roman ambassador to the point that Rome declares war on Britain over an unpaid tribute to Caesar. Imogen, in the meantime, gets lost and encounters Belarius, a banished noble who kidnapped Cymbeline's two sons and Imogen's brothers (Guiderius and Arviragus) as infants twenty years before. Imogen, still disguised as the page Fidele, is invited to stay with them. They pity the solitary page, for whom they feel an unaccountable affection. Cloten, however, soon appears on the scene; disguised in Posthumus's clothes, he is on the hunt for Imogen and Posthumus (who he believes to be in Milford Haven). There he encounters Guiderius, who slays Cloten after being insulted, cuts off his head and tosses it into the river.

Meanwhile, Imogen has been feeling ill and takes the Queen's potion. The brothers are horrified to find their beloved page apparently dead. Belarius and the sons take her tenderly to the forest and lay her beside Cloten's dead body, which, being disguised, is mistaken by Imogen for Posthumus when she awakens, and she falls in a faint. When she recovers, the despairing Imogen (still disguised as Fidele) accepts service as a page with Lucius, a Roman ambassador.

The war continues, and at the court of Cymbeline, the Queen has begun to go mad from the disappearance of Cloten. Posthumus has returned with the invading armies, but in despair over Imogen's supposed death he disguises himself as a Briton with the hope of dying in battle against the invaders. However, with the aid of Posthumus, Belarius, and the two brothers, the Britons win a glorious battle. Posthumus is later mistaken for a Roman and thrown into prison. Likewise, Iachimo, Lucius, and Imogen (Fidele) are captured and brought to Cymbeline. There Posthumus has a strange prophetic vision where he is visited by his late father, mother, brothers and Jupiter.

The Queen, her condition worsening, confesses her evil doings on her deathbed before expiring. In the ensuing confessions that follow, Iachimo confesses to stealing the bracelet and lying, Posthumus reveals his own identity, Pisanio admits his part in helping Imogen escape, Belarius admits to kidnapping the two boys, and Posthumus and Imogen are reunited and allowed to stay married. A soothsayer interprets Posthumus's vision as the rejoining of Cymbeline's family (which has happened). Finally, Cymbeline releases his prisoners and comes to peaceful terms with Rome.

Directions: Shakespeare in the Parks will be performed at the grove east of Duck Pond in Bozeman. If it rains performance will be in the MSU Strand Union Theatre.

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Cymbeline
, Bozeman, MT 59717

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