Saturday March 30, 2024
The Tempest
Review

The Tempest

By Erika Gelinard
August 14 2007

The Tempest, Bondi Pavilion, August 9-25, 2007; ph(02) 99588525 or email: harlosproductions@ozemail.com.au; Mon, Tue at 11am, Wed, Thurs,Fri, Sat at 2:30pm; Wed and Fri also at 7:30pm; Students $25, Teachersfree Discussion with cast and director on request

For Harlos Productions' 25th anniversary, the company and directorDamien Millar are offering a witty and imaginative version ofShakespeare's last major play, The Tempest. The company'sexperience in producing Shakespeare's plays, mainly through itsprincipals, Gertraud Ingeborg and David Ritchie, is combined here withMillar's creativity, and with an innovative musical element.

The Tempest's plot is well known: a dozen years before theaction begins Prospero, Duke of Milan, was usurped by his brotherAntonio. Prospero and his infant daughter Miranda are exiled to anisland occupied by a strange creature, Caliban, and a spirit, Ariel.His treacherous brother and entourage are brought to the island andshipwrecked in a storm conjured by Prospero's magic.

The Millar production has a male Ariel, and introduces a female asthe treacherous sister Antonia, in place of Antonio. The directoraccounts for these gender-swaps in the play's program: he was nostalgicfor the long forgotten operatic tradition of a man playing Ariel. Asfor Antonia, Millar simply wanted to get rid of an allegedly dull malecharacter. The play is all the better with a mischievous and seductiveAriel, and his complex and emotional relationship with his masterProspero is also better served. But the new Antonia brings not much tothe play except her deep complicity with Sebastian.

As well as these transformations, Millar is equally bold in hisstaging. The opening shipwreck is cleverly reworked: instead of arealistic (and expensive) scene, the travellers keep their eyes shut,strongly suggesting they're dreaming.

As Prospero, David Ritchie evolves from a blasé and vengeful wizardto a forgiving and restored Duke. His interpretation grows as the playdevelops, especially revealing his character's conflicting feelingsthrough his monologues.

Vincent Hooper makes an amazing rock star Ariel with black eyemake-up and outfit, and impressive singing and dancing. As for magic,Hooper seems to fly across the stage or reign over the islanders' fatesfrom atop a ladder.

Sara Zwangobani is pure and beautiful as Miranda; her looks,gestures and language express the gradual transformation of an isolatedgirl falling in love at first sight, and discovering the existence ofhuman fellows. Doubling as the jester, Trinculo, Zwangobani succeeds inmaking everyone laugh.

Tom O' Sullivan switches from the Beauty, prince Ferdinand, to theBeast, Caliban. But the latter is more accomplished than the former:Sullivan strives to render the complex mind of the half-human creature,distorting his pronunciation and his whole body.

Peter Kowitz's Alonso is a pitiful King of Naples, always sad anddisheartened, in brief the perfect prey for ambitious Antonia. Kowitzalso brings to life one of Shakespeare's comical drunkards, the singingand staggering Butler Stephano, plotting in vain against Prospero'spower.

The Tempest

Prospero's usurping sister, Antonia (Gertraud Ingeborg) and the Kingof Naples' brother, Sebastian (Lee Jones) show delightful complicityand evil - though sometimes exaggerated - in plotting against the poorKing of Naples.

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Master comic Phil Scott as Stephano, conveys all the humour of hisrole especially where Stephano drescribes a political and social utopia- were he king of the island; nevertheless, Millar highlights more that heis the laughing stock of Sebastian and Antonia than the deep meaning ofhis words.

Ingeborg, Jones and Scott as Ariel's ministers perform the masqueand the courtly entertainment is transformed into a delirious dragshow.

This Tempest is a unique musical experience through theadditions of DJ Soup, aka John Blake. He achieves the dreamy atmosphereof the island with sophisticated sound effects, and a soundscape mixbetween pop-rock original songs and well-known hits such as Eurythmics'"Sweet dreams".

Costume designer Kim Scott has dressed the newcomers withtraditional costumes, but the island's inhabitants wear contemporarystreet wear such as hoodies, skinny jeans or ludicrous drag queenoutfits.

Set designer Tony Youlden has devised an ingenious set: At the rearof the Pavilion's stage, Prospero's cell is delineated by two pillars,a bookcase, a mirror, and a chandelier. In the centre of the stage, twobookcases serve as seats for the characters. On the left and right arerespectively laid a long ladder and a step ladder, where Ariel andProspero climb to observe other characters.

An elaborate lighting design by Youlden and Scarlett Ritchie helpsto create the many different atmospheres of the play. Diffused and dimlights as well as smoke suggest magical happenings, whereas spotlightsadd to the cabaret tone during singing and dancing performances.

This 2007 version of The Tempest is highly entertaining; thefocus is laid on the humour and eccentricity rather than on theambiguities and ideas underpinning the play.

 

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