Presented by presented by MU Shakespeare Company
24-26 April and 30 April – 3 May, Guild Theatre
Review by Seamus Brown
I must confess, before tonight I had only the most basic knowledge of Shakespeare’s final play, having neither read it nor seen it performed. Seeing Shakespeare unschooled can be a painful experience, but a strong production will reach the most unacquainted audience, despite the complexity and vintage of the language.
So by this very simple measuring stick, I am thrilled to report that MUSC’s production of The Tempest bravely leant across the chasm of muddling Middle English, and hauled the audience to safety. For a performance to truly communicate the Shakespearean world, it requires an incredible amount of sustained intensity, hitting the right emphases in every single line. In this production, while delivery varied through the cast and over the course of the play, the infectious enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of the actors in what they were doing whisked the play along through any inconsistencies.
Oscar Lopez, as Prospero, grew into his role as the play progressed, allowing the rich meaning of the classic text to flow through his words, and occupied the stage with his thorough bodily inhabitation of the character. His willingness to vary his volume and pitch, and a calm, authoritative presence as the ageing sorcerer, rendered a naturalistic performance that belied his years.
Equally impressive in a subtle, understated performance was Dylan Morgan as Alonso, the traitorous King of Naples. This delicate performance gave resonance to some of the serious emotions at work in this often light comedy, full as it was with controlled regret and inner conflict.
For pure fun and ensemble glee, I have rarely seen such glorious buffoonery as the drunken dupes Stephano (Sam Browne) and Trinculo (Jack Richardson), whose teamwork in a physical comedy of errors and occasional improvisation would have had the Elizabethans rolling in the aisles, I’m sure. I cannot neglect to mention the role of Caliban – played rarely by a female – but here wonderfully brought to life by Alex Talamo, as part of this triumphant team. Strong, original direction in these scenes brought about a vague, bestial, sexual energy to her interactions with Stephano, adding a sinister edge to his generally whimsical character. Talamo’s strong physical presence and complete habitation of the half beast Caliban gave a greater poignancy to his (hers?!) melancholic moments of reflection, enhanced by her modulation of the monster’s voice, and the emotive sound-scape, which was employed sparingly and to strong effect.
Another traditionally male character, again inspired as a female, was Ariel, played by Danielle Asciak. Wow. She simply shone across the stage, sustaining an intensity and élan over three hours that lifted the whole show. Asciak’s captivating physical presence, powerful voice and seamlessly shifting emotional range ensured the play’s energy, and the audience’s attention, did not wane for a moment through the final stretch.
Other performances were solid and worthy of mention, but within the constraints of this review I will simply focus on the play as a whole in my last few words. Overall, Kieran Bullock and Callum McDonald’s direction was assured and confident, giving the actors some latitude but not trying to reinvent the wheel. The sets, lighting and music were perfectly appropriate, and are perhaps best complimented by noting they never distracted too much from the performances, but rather meshed into the production effortlessly.
Overall, the play was an enjoyable journey, palpably aided by the glee of the cast. For Shakespeare fans it was a delight: pure whimsy tempered by an understated emotional core. More importantly, for everyone else, it mixed in equal parts humour, magic, adventure, love and intrigue, all at a cracking pace. With William S you can kind of guess the script is going to be ok; here some outstanding performances do it justice.
