THE TEMPEST – REVIEW OF 2022 SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE PRODUCTION

Reviewed by James Karas

The Tempest, like all of Shakespeare’s plays, is prone to numerous interpretations. In the First Folio it was classified as a comedy, but it could be seen as a romance. The questions of imperialism and slavery are recent topics of examination and there are demands for apologies and reparations by the victims of both. The Tempest can be seen as dealing with both topics and they are inescapable while watching any production of the play.

The current production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London does not seem to focus on those aspects of the play but it does not avoid them either. Prospero is the former Duke of Milan who was dethroned by his brother with the collusion of the King of Naples. He was thrown on an island with his three-year old daughter where he took control of Ariel, a local spirit and the wild Caliban, the son of a witch. The latter is treated like a slave and both he and the spirit Ariel want their freedom. Prospero is an imperialist conqueror by any description. What are we to think of him?

Ciaran O'Brien as Caliban and Ferdy Roberts as Propsero 

in The Tempest. Photograph: Marc Brenner

Prospero is described as a scholar, a man of learning and presumably wisdom who has magical powers and a knowledge of alchemy. In the current production director Sean Holmes gives us a Prospero (Ferdy Roberts) who is arrogant, dictatorial and aggressive. There is scant evidence of his wisdom and humanity. He treats Caliban abominably and even Ariel gets better treatment only because she is useful to him. Prospero is a conqueror who does not think much of the natives.

In this modern dress production Prospero, with his hair tied in a ponytail and sporting a beard, wears nothing but a skimpy, yellow bathing suit for much of the time. Is he sunbathing all day or ready to go to the beach?  He yells most of the time even when speaking with his daughter Miranda. We do not develop much sympathy for the deposed Duke. I found it a confusing portrait of Prospero.

Nadi Kemp-Sayfi made a petite, pretty and wonderful Miranda. She may have not seen a young man before but when she lays her eyes on Ferdinand, she knows what she wants and goes after him. A wonderful performance.

My only issue with Olivier Huband as Ferdinand is that he looks too old to be the innocent and youthful prince with whom Miranda falls in love. As I watched him, I wondered why the younger-looking Ciaran O’Brien was not cast as Ferdinand instead of Caliban. I do not know their ages and they are irrelevant. My comments are about how they looked in their roles.

Caliban is a central character in the play as the representative of the natives of the island. I imagine him as wild, unruly and openly rebellious, but Director Holmes presents him as a clean-cut young man who is perhaps understandably very angry at the treatment he is getting from Prospero. Like many conquerors, Prospero justifies his treatment of his “slave” by telling us he freed him from bondage and that Caliban made an attempt to rape Miranda.

Rachel Hannah Clarke is a perfect Ariel. She moves like a spirit and performs her magical tricks with panache. We have a burgeoning plot by Sebastian (Lucy Phelps) and Antonio (Patrick Osborne) to kill the King of Naples (Katy Stephens). They do a good job in their roles.

Nadi Kemp-Sayfi and Ferdu Riberts. Photo: Marc Brenner

And there is another murderous plot by the butler Stefano (George Fouracres) and the jester Trinculo (Ralph Davis), led by Caliban, to assassinate Prospero. There are two scenes by these nincompoops, and they can be simply roll-on-the-floor hilarious. In this production they did produce some laughter, but the full comic possibilities of the scenes were not accomplished.

The productions at Shakespeare’s Globe are supposed to derive energy from the imagined performances at the Globe Theatre in Shakespeare’s time. One of the most effective methods is the interplay between the stage and the yardlings, the several hundred people standing on the ground floor. The interaction in this production was moderately successful at the beginning and far more enjoyable in the second half. But they hit the perfect note when Stefano and Trinculo were plotting the overthrow of Prospero and agreed that both would become prime ministers (just in case one of them resigned). There was a huge gale of laughter. At about that time Prime Minister Liz Truss was announcing her resignation.

The opening scene was handled judiciously. There was some commotion and the people on board the ship that was about to founder were shown in a glass cage on stage. They were all wearing tuxedos and party hats as they were returning from a wedding and then ended up on Prospero’s Island.

A credible and enjoyable performance with some disagreement about details.

_____________________  

The Tempest  by William Shakespeare  played until October 23, 2022 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, London. www.shakespearesglobe.com/

James Karas is the Senior Editor - Culture of The Greek Press, Toronto