“How
beauteous mankind is! O brave new world that has such people in’t!” And what a
brave
new world this stunning adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest invites you
into.
Shakespeare’s
final play has been given a magical and triumphant new life at The Smith
Center.
Directed
by Teller and award winning playwright and director, Aaron Posner, the
complexity
of
the tale could easily be lost as the many layers unravel, instead Posner and
Teller stage every
movement
with such precision that each relationship is made more clear and the actors
are able
to
convey the deeper underlying story. Daniel
Conway’s set, built like a majestic shipwrecked royal court recreates a barren
circus and is nothing short of enchanting. From the moment you sit down, you’re
wrapped up in this bewitching tale. On one deck, a ghostly band of gypsies, the
band, Rough Magic. (Miche Braden, Michael Brun, Shaina Taub and Nate Tucker)
led by two soulful and bewitching
beauties
performs original songs of bluesy haunting melodies written by Tom Wait.
The
audience is introduced to Ariel, (Nate Dandy) Prospero’s spirit servant while
waiting for
the
play to start. This naughty spirit plays tricks on unsuspecting patrons. As the
band makes its
way
to the deck, a hush comes over the audience and we are magically transformed to
a royal
ship
in the midst of a terrible storm at sea. A storm caused by Prospero, (Tom
Nelis) his first act
of
revenge, as he steals away Prince Ferdinand. Unlike any other adaptation,
Teller’s Prospero
performs
astounding acts of illusion on stage that will make you truly believe he is a
powerful
enchanter.
Prospero is a complicated soul, driven by revenge, seeking forgiveness and
finally a
man
just trying to do right.
When
Prospero’s daughter Miranda (Charlotte Graham) falls in love with the prince
Ferdinand
(Joby
Earle), their infatuation is giddy to watch. Caliban, Prospero’s dark, earthy
slave, frequently referred to as a monster by the other characters is portrayed
by Zach Eisenstat and Manelich Minniefee, contortionists from the Pilobolus
dance company; conjoined at all times to create this son of a witch hag,
rolling, jumping and carrying each other across the stage. When Caliban
convinces the drunken Trinculo (Jonathan M. Kim) and Stephano (Eric Hissom) to kill
Prospero and the two torsos of the monster each stroke and caress a different
person, it’s unsettling in the best possible way. Defiant and mysterious, the spirit
servant Ariel plays with the audience as he plays with his victims, but even
after working the whole play for his freedom, his final, almost regretful look at
Prospero points to whole novels of emotional territory. Louis Butelli as
Antonio delivers a searing grief that mirrors the hot fire of revenge that
burns in Prospero. This epic tale of love, loss, virtue and vengeance will
leave you with a haunted heart and begging for more.
See
The Tempest in a tiered 500-seat, climate-controlled tent in Donald W. Reynolds
Symphony
Park,
where no seat is farther than 60 feet from the stage. April 1-27, 2014
TICKET
PRICES: $35-$75 www.thesmithcenter.com/events/the-tempest/
By Andrea Dupper
Photo
Credit - ©Geri Kodey/The Smith Center for the Performing Arts
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