Tempest fugit: Prospero's Will - Greenwich Playhouse (Review)
Review by Marcela Olivares
THIS work was inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest but I, for one, am not familiar with many of Shakespeare’s work so had to look into it for some background.
So here it comes in a nutshell: The Tempest, as well as Tempest fugit, is set in a mystifying island where Prospero (John Huston), his daughter Miranda (Ada Gallagher), Propero’s servant Caliban (Stuart Gee) and a spirit of the elements, Ariel (Tina Hofman) live.
In The Tempest, Prospero gives rise to a tempest which eventually causes his nephew, Ferdinand (Richard Gee), to be stranded on the island with them. Prospero then arranges for her daughter to marry Ferdinand so as to ensure her happiness. All of the above is achieved with the help of magic…
Closing to the end, everyone is ready to leave the island and is released from Prospero’s services; he even gives up his magic wand and books at the prospect of returning to his beloved Milan.
Tempest fugit – showing at Greenwich Playhouse as part of the Accessing Shakespeare season – is a second chapter to the Tempest if you so wish to call it…
In Tempest fugit Prospero never left the island and although time has gone by, he has not felt it. Ariel and Caliban are still with him and rejoice at having their master back on the island, even though his treatment of them was not exemplary.
Miranda and Ferdinand come to visit after many years of absence and find things have not changed much. Throughout the play, there is a lot of drama and memories resurface.
There are two strong scenes of high impact. The first involves Caliban and Prosperus speaking of their relationship almost as if a slave was rebelling to the master.
While later, there is a scene where Miranda brings up how Caliban tried to have unconsenting sex with her when she was much younger. There also seems to be an almost loving relationship between Ariel and Prospero.
The music composed for Tempest fugit was amazing. It really helped set the tone of the events.
While the performances were very striking by all involved. It was interesting, though, how all the characters had a great impact on the story except for Ferdinand – although Richard Gee did a good job with his portrayal, the character had little substance to it.
Obviously, John Huston’s character, Prospero, required a lot of strength and effort and he did a great job with it.
While Stuart Horobin’s Caliban, a half-man, half-creature that served Miranda and Prospero, was very expressive of its emotions and feelings, which I would’ve thought difficult based on the character itself. I was very impressed with this performance.
Ada Gallagher’s portrayal of Miranda was fine but she always seemed out of place within the environment. I guess that is what we were supposed to feel since she has returned to the island after many years.
Tina Hofman’s character was difficult. How can you portray a spirit of the elements? Her physical efforts were noticeable.
Overall, Tempest fugit was an interesting experience that is best observed by those with a keen and thoughtful eye. It is not, however, a play to be seen for the sake of entertainment.
One thing that I found perplexing was the significance of the robes. Do they represent a rebirth or just the fact that underneath everything, they’re all the same? Please let me know if you see the play and think you have a different handle on the robes!
Tempest fugit is showing until June 4 at Greenwich Playhouse.
Written by Frank Bramwell.
Directed by Marcus Fernando.
CAST: Ada Gallagher; John D. Huston; Richard Gee; Stuart Horobin; Tina Hofman.
I pretty much agree with what Marcela says about this play. Plenty to think about, lots of new takes on the original, a fine example of ensemble acting at its best. A number of questions were raised – as regards the clothes, my take is that except for Ferdinand, all of them end the play in full colour, they and Prospero have been fully enjoined, they are as one. A nice touch by Director Marcus Fernando!
Steve Williams May 18 #