Tempest

This production of “The Tempest” was the finale of the RSC’s commemoration of the 400th year anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. It was first staged in Stratford-upon-Avon on November 8th, 2016. Gregory Doran, the artistic director of the RSC, brought on Stratford stage the cutting edge of twenty-first century technology to present Prospero’s masque, i.e., the crucial scene of the play. The digital technology was also used for the projection of an avatar of Ariel, i.e., a spirit who appears in the play.Like all Shakespeare’s plays, “The Tempest” is an illustration of the fact that the invisible world is interpenetrating ordinary life. Some scenes and events described in the play, which seem to be inexplicable, are in fact due to this sort of intervention. This is why in Shakespeare’s plays there are always two parallel storylines. One storyline consists of ordinary events which can be explained by rational intellect and the psychology of emotions. This story is always inconsistent and it may be interpreted in many ways. Each of such interpretations requires some changes to the original text. The second storyline is augmented by a series of events describing the operation of higher states of the human mind. This storyline is perceptible by the audiences whose minds allow the possibility of something from the invisible world impinging upon their ordinary experiences. This storyline links all Shakespeare’s plays into a coherent narrative.Presenting Ariel as an avatar is an effective way to represent the nature of the intervention of the invisible world into ordinary reality. Let’s recall that Prospero, the main character of the play, was delivered to the island in order to go through a series of specific experiences. In this way he could master his skills so he would be able to discharge properly his function after returning to Milan. Prospero was given access to extraordinary powers. His main challenge was to use his powers in the right way. These powers should not be used for personal advantages or egotistic purposes. However, he abused his mandate by ordering Ariel to stage a masque with Juno, Ceres, and Iris. The masque was not part of his mandate. Prospero arranged the masque simply to show off his powers in front of Ferdinand and Miranda. The masque marked Prospero’s weakness. We should keep in mind that all the spirits, including Juno, hate Prospero. They all were put under Prospero’s control. Therefore, they would use any opportunity to free themselves from his commands. This is why Juno takes advantage of Prospero’s weakness and attempts to get rid of him. Juno manages to take control over the masque. She sends Iris to call upon the spirits called Naiads. The appearance of the Naiads was not in Prospero’s plan. Juno uses them because they are very dangerous; they can distract one’s attention by their mystifying beauty. The Naiads arrive and dance together with some harvesters. While watching the Naiads, Prospero is even more pleased with his own achievements. At this very moment, Prospero is entirely driven by “some vanity” and “fancies”. Despite his relatively high developmental state, Prospero is not free from egotistic motives. Because of this, he nearly loses his entire enterprise. Caliban is just about to destroy him. As indicated in the stage direction, at this very moment Prospero receives a warning in the form of “a strange, hollow, and confused noise”. Prospero awakes from his fancies and manages to avoid making an error that could turn his project into a complete fiasco. Ferdinand and Miranda are surprised by Prospero’s aggravation caused by the fact that he realizes that he allowed himself to be outmaneuvered by Juno. He failed the test; his future function in Milan will be downgraded.This seemingly insignificant episode is a key element of the entire play. It indicates that Prospero’s journey and his experiences are directed by “a most auspicious star”; his dealing and interaction with supernatural forces are carefully monitored. In other words, Prospero is guided. The main function of the masque is to make the audience aware of the presence of this invisible guide. The audience is expected to leave the theatre wondering who this guide is, how he may be identified, and what will happen to Prospero when he returns to Milan. (All these questions are answered in the remaining plays of Shakespeare’s narrative.)The appearance of the avatar could greatly help to grasp the inner meaning of the play. However, the director of the RSC’s production chose to stay within the rational world. According to Gregory Doran, Prospero’s outburst of anger was not caused by his failing of the test but by … his abhorrence of sexuality [sic]. Apparently, Prospero could not face the manifestation of Miranda’s sexuality while she was dancing during the masque. (It looks that Doran forgot that Cupid, i.e., “the General of hot desire”, gave up on trying to interfere into Ferdinand’s and Miranda’ relationship.) Of course, he had to make changes to the original text in order to justify his interpretation. He reversed the sequence of several scenes, introduced a few unwarranted assumptions, added several invented elements to the dancing scene and completely ignored the above mentioned stage direction. In other words, he trivialized the play by attempting to explain rationally the scenes and events that are associated with the operation of the higher states of the mind. By trivializing the original plot, the RSC’s production robbed the audience from the intended impact of the play. Shakespeare’s plays are like a very precise and delicate instrument. Even small changes to the original text destroy the plays’ inner structure. Instead of enhancing the inner meaning of the play, this production erased it. It is quite ironic that the great potential offered by digital technology on the stage was practically nullified by the director’s tendency to flout with Shakespeare’s texts.

In general, this is a reasonably competent production. Ariel is a little too imperious, while Prospero not imperious enough. I'm not sure why the actor playing Miranda relies so heavily on voice waver to show emotion. I really like the costuming for Caliban, and he's acted with a good amount of pathos. Trinculo is well-done, and a little scary.The stage effects seem as if they were probably really amazing in person, though they don't come across quite as well on the screen. I actually prefer the Globe's stripped down stage for that reason, and I find their Tempest production to be a little easier to follow. The Globe acting is perhaps more broad, but not in a bad way.As a puritanical side note, every production I've seen (including the Globe and the Taymor) uses a mythologically accurate depiction of a harpy (when Ariel turns into one), which includes a bare female upper body. Depending on your audience and you, that may cause you some discomfort.

This production is particularly good with respect to the "magical technology" employed; but the distorted interpretation laid on by both the director and the actor who plays Prospero, leaves something to be desired. Together they seem to conspire to leave much of the beauty and mystery, which Shakespeare envisioned, out on the cutting floor.Prospero is an adept, studied in the art of self-mastery. How else could he master the storm, if he hasn't first mastered the energy within himself? Here, is portrayed as a volcanic and angry loud-mouth, ready to explode at the slightest provocation—culminating in an eruption of primal screams triggered by Ariel's compassion for Prospero's then-penitent enemies.As for the director, somehow he has psychoanalyzed Prospero, and found that he can't seem to come to grips with his daughter's "emerging sexuality"! Oh! Someone tell that to Mr. Shakespeare. He must have forgotten to write that part into the Play. Anyway, this theory is indulged by changes introduced into the masque scene, and in the tenor of the following "Our revels now are ended" speech—which contains some of the most beautiful lines of the Play, but here are spoken in the tortured anger of Prospero's tempestuous psychological complex concerning his daughter.In brief, if one is looking for mere entertainment, this production is visually splendid. But if one desires an understanding of the Play's "Inner Mysteries"—which stretch all the way back, in a line unbroken, to the ancient Mystery Schools, be prepared to mentally bypass the misdirection of this production, by being fortified with a prior study of the true aim of the actual Play.

I'm sure it's wonderful, it was just too hard for me to understand the dialogue. I'll stick with the movie Forbidden Planet that was inspired by The Tempest. The live audience certainly enjoyed this performance so maybe it's me. I enjoy most English movies so I can handle the accent but the syntax used made it difficult for me. If you like Shakespeare, this was wonderfully performed I'm sure. Sadly, comments are no longer allowed on reviews. I miss the comments, it improved my reviewing and allowed customers to help each other. Sorry.

A fantastic performance by all actors, interesting staging!

That more or less says it all: this is a fine production by the premier acting company (the Royal Shakespeare) dedicated to the plays of the Bard.

It is EXCELLENT!! The performance was amazing. The staging. The acting. The story. All so well-done. Most enjoyable...viewed over and over again.

This was a magical performance! The lighting and effects make it a wonderful event. Even my students in Introduction to Theatre class loved it.

This was a beautiful production and its well worth the extra money to have it on Blu-ray. An amazing set which looks like the carcass of an old ship reaching into the upper heights of the stage. The most sumptuous lighting which transforms the scene from storm wracked beach, to faerie twilight, to woods and meadows. Special effects, courtesy of Intel and the Imaginarium workshop, which take the staging in new and fascinating directions."The isle is full of noises" - it is in this production, music, a court masque, the eerie chatter of faceless fairies and at the centre of it all a marvelous cast headed by Simon Russell Beale at his absolute best as Prospero. I've seen this production live twice this week and while nothing can match actually being there, this is a well filmed substitute which I shall watch repeatedly once the run ends on the 18th August.

I hated everything about the RSC’s The Tempest. It was a misconceived production with no subtlety whatsoever. It was badly acted & directed. The over the top CGI was a real mistake and distracted from the text and didn’t allow for real engagement. Simon Russell Beale just ranted. The post-modern Miranda was awful. The comic sections seemed never-ending and were tedious in the extreme. Only Ariel came out of it well but in person not that distracting avatar projection. Three of us watched it and had to fight to stay awake and were a teacher, an actor and an university professor - two women and one man! Oh yes, for the first 30 mts someone in the stalls kept coughing loudly and that was a nightmare too. The blu ray quality is good but in the early scenes you will need the subtitles to hear what’s being said.... oh dear it was 2 1/2 wretched hours and £25 I’ll never get back! You have been warned. See the blu ray of the Roger Allam production of The Tempest from The Globe instead it’s 100 times better.

I have always loved The Tempest and missed seeing this much-praised production in the theatre, so the Blu-Ray was the best I could do. The technical quality is excellent, and it's filmed in the theatre with a live audience (maybe over several performances, I'm not sure) with excellent definition and sound.The play of course contains some of Shakespeare's most inspired verse, but is complex and problematic for a modern audience, particularly the treatment of Caliban, so to succeed today it needs a very imaginative and convincing production. For me this wasn't the case. Sadly I found that the performances were a little bit pedestrian apart from Ariel (Mark Quartley) - which surprised me, particularly because of Simon Russell Beale's success in other productions and the professional critics' praise in this one; the masque (often shortened or cut) was too long and a bit boring, and the love story didn't convince with this cast. It's just my opinion and certainly others have very different views. The electronic wizardry worked well and was not too dominant. Anyway, I recommend seeing it, but don't expect a really magical experience.

We saw this as a broadcast to our local theatre/cinema and loved it so much that we bought tickets to see it in the flesh at The Barbican. The effects are amazing and yet don't detract from the performances which are also stunning. It was so good that we just had to have the DVD to watch at our leisure at home.We haven't watched it at home yet but we know it's going to add yet another level to our enjoyment of this fantastic production.

Beautifully acted and produced. I thought the wedding blessing scene a little bit overdone and overlong, but I am always rather bored by that part of the play.The first DVD I received was faulty, frequent short stops with a final absolute stop, but Amazon replaced it immediately.