The Tempest
T01065695508
Prospero, Duke of Milan, his dukedom usurped by his brother Antonio, is put to sea with his daughter Miranda and some magical books smuggled in by his loyal councillor Gonzalo. The sea casts them up on an island where Prospero, exercising his magical powers, makes a home for himself and Miranda. One day a great storm, which Prospero has conjured, breaks up a passing ship and delivers to him the members of his usurping court. Treacherous brother, fellow conspirators and old friend alike come under Prospero's spell. Shakespeare's last play.
Archive :: production:T01065695508, play:S5212, venue:V970854241
Current production:Work
Production details
Gone is the island, the sea, the storm, the shipwreck. In its place are Prospero’s darker art of mental manipulation, induced hallucinations, true love and a journey to redemption - all taking place in a factory set in Norfolk Broads. In this modern production of The Tempest, Shakespeare’s classic is relocated into a derelict factory, an ex strip joint situated in the imaginary grasslands of Norfolk Broads, where Prospero, festering with the pains of his brother’s betrayal, has fled with his young daughter. For twelve years Prospero has been developing his methods of revenge, based on the manipulation of the human mind. Now the hapless royal family has arrived and his plans are underway. Melding the text with the space, the derelict factory - complete with labyrinthine passageways and empty lift shafts - will become a manifestation of Prospero’s inner turmoil . The audience will be taken on a journey through the space, experiencing the factory with the characters as they are led to the action hidden within the different rooms.
