The Tempest – Globe Theatre, London

A review of The Tempest at the Globe Theatre. My first time seeing the play, and a fine production at that.

The Tempest

I have seen a few works by Shakespeare recently, but mostly old favourites. Firstly I saw a multimedia take on Romeo & Juliet from Creation Theatre/Watford Palace Theatre. Next I saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream here at the Globe. And today we are back at the Globe for a review of The Tempest. Unlike the others, however, this isn’t a play I have studied in the past, or even seen before. Rather it was a chance to experience the Bard’s mysterious island play for the first time.

This production of The Tempest is part of the Globe on Tour series. The idea is to explore how touring companies staged plays in Shakespeare’s day. In this case this means a simplified set and three plays performed in repertory. Or perhaps I should say the idea was to explore this. Unfortunately the Globe on Tour series as originally planned fell victim to the restrictions of 2020, and their tour of the UK was cancelled. They have been able to bring the productions to the Globe for 2021, however. I was happy to have the chance to support them and see them perform.

Like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, watching from the socially-distanced galleries of the Globe was a lovely way to spend an evening. Unlike A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this was not a raucous, all bells and whistles type of production. There was no brass band this time. And the actors confined themselves to the stage rather than running through the audience or arriving on scooters. In fact, the actors themselves doubled as the musicians, a clever way to reduce the size of the company. (No doubt a wise move either during Elizabethan bubonic plague outbreaks or when navigating Covid restrictions today). Onwards then, to discover how these actor-musicians fared.

A Brave New World

Of the little that I had read about The Tempest before seeing it, and what I have read since then, it is the relationship between the play and the era of colonial exploration that interests me most. The story tells of a shipwreck on a mysterious island, provoked by magician and rightful Duke of Milan Prospero. He has been living on the island with his daughter Miranda and magical/monsterous attendants for twelve years, but now has the chance to have his revenge on his enemies. In the end though, he renounces his magical ways. He allows the lovers to live happily ever after and frees the spirit Ariel from servitude. Then returns to Italy with the other characters.

The writing and first performances of the play took place in a world in which strange tales could be heard of far-off islands and the people who lived there. There is an exoticism about Prospero’s island which allows us to suspend our disbelief and accept the various monsters, spirits and magic of the story. Post-colonial writers including Aimé Césaire have explored the dynamics of race and power, exploration and colonialism through their own versions of the play. For a Jacobean audience, it must have brought to mind exciting and barely credible stories of what the ‘New World’ was like.

This production does not play up this angle particularly, pared back as it is. Ariel (played by Emma Ernest) does wear a costume reminiscent of an animalistic spirit of nature. But otherwise the actors are in simple and versatile apron-type outfits. Nor is their music inspired by far-off places. I would describe it as closer to folk music, with particularly good performances from Sara Lessore (Miranda) on the flute and Emma Ernest on saxophone. It was perhaps me reading my own interests onto the play then. But maybe that just goes to show how versatile Shakespeare continues to be in allowing everyone to find what they want in his plays.

A Touring Company At The Home of Shakespeare

The Globe, as I learned not too long ago on a guided tour, is partly about experimenting with Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre techniques. I enjoyed on this occasion seeing a foray into touring productions, even if in the end it was performed at the Globe. I might have enjoyed even more seeing it in a smaller venue as intended last year. Nonetheless the simple costumes and set still held up, and allowed me to focus on the play itself.

For me, the stand-out performance was Emma Ernest as Ariel. She was other-worldly in her attempts to understand and mimic the humans around her. At the same time she was easier to relate to in terms of her motivations than the likes of Prospero or Miranda. I will need to see some further productions of The Tempest to know whether that’s a result of the acting or just what the play is like. Runners up in my affections were the drunkards Trinculo and Stephano, played by Colm Gormley and Katy Secombe. Very funny indeed.

As my example shows, you don’t need any experience of The Tempest (or even much of Shakespeare) to enjoy this production. It is an interesting play with light and shade, some lines you will recognise and a good musical number to finish with. This has been a nice time to visit the Globe and have a good view and plenty of space, so I say get along while you can!

Salterton Arts Review’s Rating: 3.5/5

The Tempest on until 29 August 2021

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