Reviewed by James Karas
The small Sam Wanamaker Playhouse keeps Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre active during the winter months. I caught Tim Crouch’s production of The Tempest. Crouch as the star and director has tailored the production it his ideas and has made it suitable for the very small stage and tight quarters of the playhouse in general. There is no thunder or lightning and no wild storms but a very good presentation of the text within those limitations.
Crouch plays the deposed Duke of Milan as the conqueror of the island where he brought civilization to the natives of whom we meet only two. The first is the spirit Ariel (Naomi Wirthner) who is his faithful servant but wants to be set free. The other is the wild and not quite civilized Caliban (normally played by Faizal Abdullah) who is more resentful than thankful even though Prospero reminds him that he has taught him to read.
He raised his lovely daughter Miranda (Sophie Steer) on the island and she has seen no other people until she meets the hunk Ferdinand (Joshual Griffin) and you don’t need me to tell you the rest.
This Prospero is gentler than imperialistic and although he became a magician thanks to the books that he brought with him in the end he throws them away and is ready to return to his Dukedom in Milan. Crouch both as director and star handles the play with gentility and may help us to understand his temporary imperialism because of the circumstances.
Antonio, the brother that deposed and exiled Prospero becomes his sister Antonia (Amanda Hadibque), and we have no difficulty accepting her as such. Wirthner, who plays Ariel, has a conspicuously displayed artificial leg and is somewhat overweight. Blind casting is de rigueur and we have no right to complain or comment about it provided the performance is sound. Can you have a spirit like Ariel with such severe limitations? I think it takes guts to cast someone like Wirthner and kudos to Crouch for doing it.
Caliban was read script in hand by Finn O’Riordan replacing the indisposed Faizal Abdullah. The theatre does not have understudies and O’Riordan did a commendable job in the role.
Caliban is in the hilarious scenes with Trinculo (Merce Ribot) and Stephano (Patricia Rodriguez) as they plot to kill Prospero and take over the island. I think we lost some humour without the original actor playing Caliban and leaving the other clowns doing the scenes with one hand tied behind their backs, so to speak.
Crouch has an attraction to candles and we saw the cast holding them, moving them around, blowing them and lighting them.
The costumes looked like “whatever you wore when you came to work, will do” and they did not bother me at all. This looked like an intimate production and costumes may have been superfluous.
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The Tempest by William Shakespeare continues until April 12, 2026, at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 21 New Globe Walk, London. www.shakespearesglobe.com
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