WEBLINKS
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 |  | Reviewed by Peter Elias
Shakespeare may not be your bag, especially if you were force fed the bard's literature at school. But now is the time to rethink such thoughts.
A trip to the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford to see The Tempest will undoubtedly rekindle your interest. This is a masterful performance of one of his most famous romantic plays.
| Μύ |  | Malcolm Storry playing Prospero
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Set on a magical island, the story contains all the usual elements of the bard's 400 year-old plays - betrayal, loss of power, love, intrigue, murderous plots, revenge and forgiveness.
What set this rendition apart was the attention to detail - mood enhancing music, technically flawless stage sets and lighting and, above all else, some superb performances from the cast.
Malcolm Storry, as Prospero, gave a sternful edge to the usurped Duke's role, Sirine Saba playing Miranda (the Duke's daughter) acted well the difficult role of childish innocence.
Kananu Kirimi put in a sparkling performance as Ariel, the spirit helper of Prospero. Other actors complemented them well, most noteworthy perhaps was the jester Trinculo (played by Simon Gregor) who clearly revelled in his Shakespearean part.
| Μύ |  | Geff Francis as Caliban
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I heard some people were disturbed by the role of the 'monster' and slave, Caliban, being played with a heavy Jamaican accent by a black actor.
At the very least, they could be accused of damaging the credibility of the play as Caliban was taught language by Prospero and Miranda who, in this production, have classic RADA accents.
The casting also risked confusing Shakespeare's interests with more modern ideas about slavery and colonialism.
| Μύ |  | The aerial movements
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Despite this, the production offered even more of a feast for the eyes and ears than Shakespeare could have dreamt of. The aerial choreography was death-defying. At one point I could hardly bear to watch for fear that someone might fall. But don't get me wrong, this is no circus act.
The aerial movements added erotic tension and magical mysticism to the potions
cast on the stage and the music still haunted me long after the performance was over.
All in all, The Tempest is another brilliant success for the RSC. If only Shakespeare
could have seen this, he would have marvelled!
Performance dates
The Tempest is on at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford from 2 September - 1 November 2002.
Extra events for The Tempest
PRE-PERFORMANCE PRESENTATION
3 October RST circle bar 5.30-6.30pm Β£2.50.
POST-SHOW TALK
23 October RST 15 minutes after the performance. FREE to ticket holders.
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