The Tempest

‘The Tempest’ is one of William Shakespeare’s most exciting plays. This is 'The Revellers' second production in their project of taking Shakespeare, simply but excitingly, to the masses. This production of The Tempest is most engaging and accessible to all ages.

The play is presented in the Murdoch University Drama Workshop, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch with performances at 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm until Saturday 29^th September. Tickets for this one-hour play are only $10.

The large hall was totally surrounded in black drapes. Four dozen pine-dining chairs were apparently haphazardly piled up around the floor. The sound of wind starts to fill the room.

         A sprite, Ariel (Maja Liwszyc- superb) sneaks in carrying a large goldfish bowl. Having been saved from torment by the now banished Duke of Milan, Prospero (Wade Ellis) she is forever in his debt and commanded to work her magic at his will. She skips to the front of the stage and sitting on the floor, stirs the water in the bowl. As she does, the storm heightens and lightning flashes.

            Having heard about various plots to gain his Duke’s title, the paranoid Prospero is worried about being murdered. His beautiful daughter, Miranda (Sarah Courtis) with whom he has been banished to an island, is desperate to find someone that she can love and respect. 

        Ariel continued to create the storm to frighten Prospero’s evil brother, Antonio (Jason Dohle) and Alonso, the King of Naples (Stephen Platt), the man responsible for Prospero being deposed, who are on a ship. Thanks to Ariel’s magic, their boat crashes onto the same island to which the Duke has been banished.  

       Also on the ship were Alonso’s brother, Sebastian (Ben James) who desperately wants to become King and an old friend of Prospero, Gonzalo (Adam Dean). The disabled, ‘monster’, Caliban (Uzi Khan) and his two drunken stewards, Stephana (Katrina Johnston) and Trinculo (Andrew Kocsis), find them on the beach.

         Miranda meets the handsome Prince Ferdinand (Jake Shannon) who has just appeared on the scene. Perhaps her father can help her get to know the prince better.   

My initial worry was that The Revellers would not be able to do justice to this wonderful play in only one hour, but under the skilful direction of the diminutively built director, Ellin Sears, an extremely powerful production has emerged. Every actor performed perfectly, the diction was clear, the delivery showed they had a full understanding of the script and the characters that they were portraying. The clever adaptation by Andrew Kocsis and Tiffany Wendt retained the Shakespearean style; right to the last rhyming couplets.

The lighting design by Aleesha and Joey McKenna-Green consisted mainly of overhead powerful spotlights pointing vertically down. Not only did this isolate the actors as they moved around the set, but it also cast dramatic shadow effects. Fine light designing and operated with feeling. The sound effects were crisp and clear, thanks to the design / operating team of Selena Nemeth and Ellin Sears.

It became obvious that the stage manager, Tiffany Wendt, had in fact carefully thought out the haphazard piles of chairs, in order to enhance the ship-wreaking scene and other dramatic disturbances, when the chairs flew and crashed around the stage. Most effective.

If it is the Revellers’ intention to take this play around the schools I am sure that the youngsters will thoroughly enjoy the action, black comedy and come away with a clear understanding of the play and its message of choosing between revenge and forgiveness.

Tremendous, way ahead of most student productions.