A tryst with ‘Tristan’

Emma Rice’s experience reading the 12th century tale of Tristan and Yseult’s romance and tragedy wasn’t exactly love at first sight.

“I hated it!” said Rice, an artistic director with British theater company Kneehigh. “I could not get my head around the medieval. I had to get rid of all the dragons.”

But after stepping back and seeing that at the center of the plot was a love story, Rice said the bizarre love triangle of broken hearts and choosing one person over another became an irresistible project.

“It’s been a delight,” she said from her home in the United Kingdom.

The Kneehigh production, which began 10 years ago, has made U.S. stops at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Guthrie Theater and St. Ann’s Warehouse in New York. Performances began Jan. 23 at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Repertory and will continue until Feb. 22.

The legend, which has several versions, is the story of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Yseult. After defeating an Irish knight, Tristan travels to Ireland to bring back Yseult for his uncle, King Mark, to marry. But to complicate matters, Tristan and Yseult drink a love potion, causing the two to fall in love.

It’s a situation that audiences can relate to, Rice said, of loving someone you shouldn’t, betraying someone you love and being betrayed.

“I had this idea of telling the story of the unloved,” Rice said. “I never saw the unloved as the great beauties, but looking through their eyes, the story becomes deeper.”

Kneehigh first conceived “Tristan & Yseult” for a site-specific place. The show was to be performed in two outdoor venues, Rufford in Nottinghamshire and Restormel Castle in Cornwall. After sharing the ancient story, the cast and crew realized audiences laughed and cried, recognizing themselves and those they loved. The National Theatre in London invested in the production and took the show indoors, making it more physical and musical.

“The soundtrack is fantastic,” Rice said. “It’s more like a party.”

In the 19th century, German composer Richard Wagner composed the opera “Tristan und Isolde,” considered today one of the most influential pieces of music of all time. Kneehigh’s production features Wagner’s compositions along with avant-garde improvisations and a variety of ballad and punk sounds.

Rice said that since the show is 10 years older, the production staff has become a mix of old and new actors.

“At the end of the show, one of the seasoned actors said to me, ‘Was it always this sad?’” she said with a laugh. “But I think the audience will be touched by the love on the stage and fall in love with the show.”

Mike Shepherd, who is co-artistic director with Rice, said he wasn’t initially attracted to the story, but after exploring the plot wanted to share one of the earliest known love stories.

“It’s amazing how stories knock on your door insisting to be told,” Shepherd said. “There’s just something about this one, and it’s such a well-known story and it just kept nagging away at us.

“We weren’t that interested, but then there’s this minor character and she lies in the end, and that was the gem we found making us want to tell the story. All of us, we’ve been dumped or rejected at some point, and I think that was the person we wanted to identify [with].”

Shepherd, who also plays King Mark, said it was his intention to tell the story of Tristan and Yseult by connecting it to the history of Cornwall, known as the richest kingdom in the world for 300 years. It’s one of many reasons the show was first performed at the 13th century circular Restormel Castle.

Kneehigh, founded by Shepherd in 1980, is based in a collection of barns on the south Cornish coast. Shepherd wanted to create theater for families in the communities by creating theater on clifftops and in ancient castles. He said he and the staff take pride in their Cornish identity and hope to teach the county’s cultural history, especially with the portrayal of Cornwall in “Tristan & Yseult.”

Up next for the theater company is a new version of “Rebecca,” a novel by English author Daphne du Maurier. It’s a fitting choice, since the wealthy Englishman character has a mansion in Cornwall.

In the meantime, Rice and Shepherd said they are celebrating their adaptation of “Tristan & Yseult” and its blend of comedy, live music and romantic passions.

“We had no expectations of it at all, but we made something a bit special,” said Rice.

“I think the piece is spectacular,” Shepherd added. “I’d like to transport the audience on a journey, and I hope they are entertained.”

If You Go

What: “Tristan & Yseult”

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 22

Where: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: $62

Information: (714) 708-5555 or scr.org