The Tempest
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The Jamie Lloyd Company
For many years the stunning Theatre Royal Drury Lane has been the home of extravagant flashy musicals and so it is wonderful that after over 60 years, director Jamie Lloyd is bringing a season of Shakespeare back to its boards.
Currently playing is what is generally considered Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest, with the added bonus of Hollywood megastar Sigourney Weaver making her West End debut. She takes on the role of a gender-swapped Prospero, the deposed Duke, now Duchess of Milan who has been stranded on a remote island with her daughter Miranda for the last 12 years. Cast out by her treacherous brother Antonio, Prospero seeking retribution uses magical powers to conjure a raging tempest to bring a ship carrying her adversaries to her.
Set on an isolated Mediterranean island, set and costume designer Soutra Gilmour has used the vast expanse of the Theatre Royal’s stage to create a bleak, grey planetary theme. The actors deftly come and go traversing huge boulder like structures telling a story of power forgiveness and love.
The abridged story is told quite simply as Prospero sits quietly, observing her confused enemies for most of the play. Her daughter Miranda (Mara Huf) falls in love with the King of Naples son Ferdinand (James Phoon) and the much needed, light-heartedness is provided by Stephano (Jason Barnett) and Trinculo (Mathew Horne) as they plot with Prospero’s servant Caliban (Forbes Masson).
The stand out performance for me has to be Mason Alexander Park as the airey spirit Ariel. Their first appearance as they are lowered onto the stage from a great height is very impressive and they entrance the audience as they wistfully manipulates the other characters on Prospero’s behalf.
Whilst this is not an ‘exciting’ production however it does have magical moments and it is certainly a thrill to see a Shakespearean masterpiece performed in a large theatre. Superb ticket deals ensure that the production is accessible to all, and we are eagerly looking forward to Lloyd’s next production Much Ado about Nothing (with more star casting) opening in February.
⭐⭐⭐
Reviewer: Sammi O’Neill