The Tempest
Hey everyone!
I’m back! I know you all missed my Elizabethan Theater Review blog but I decided to begin again after my hiatus with Jacobean Theater!
So I normally focus on less mainstream artists like Thomas Middleton and John Day but since their are rumors of William Shakespeare’s retirement I thought I would do a review of the opening night of The Tempest.
The story is your basic heteronormative love story but recently Shakespeare has really gotten in touch with his artistic side and The Tempest really showcases that.
The elements of spectacle were especially impressive. With the airy spirit Ariel, goddesses and harpies throughout the magic was impressive. At one point a table actually vanished with a quint device. The play is simple beautiful. The language, the costumes, and the simple yet provocative storyline all work together to great a performance that is absolutely magical. I don’t want to spoil the play too much but there are hints that this may be Shakespeare’s last play before retirement.
One of the most interesting characters in the play is Prospero’s daughter Miranda, having grown up on the island since she was very little she doesn’t really now anything about the rest of the world. In the play Miranda cries “Oh brave new world!” at meeting the strangers. Spoiler alert, the people that she meets kind of suck as humans. Is Shakespeare saying her naivety is a the ideal or is he implying it’s dangerous? I think that the average English white-privileged nobleman would certainly think of the ideal woman as being naive like Miranda but I think Shakespeare was being more subtle than that.
The Kings Men have adjusted well to using the indoor space at Blackfriars. Even with the gallants taking advantage of the candlelight to sit on stage like pompous cream faced loons and show off their jewels and silks. Honestly I don’t understand why society gives place for such an obviously ridiculous practice as sitting on the stage to show of your clothes.
Overall, despite the immense popularity with the masses, so mainstream, our dear bard has really outdone himself with this one. The questions remain, is this Shakespeare’s last play? Is Prospero’s last speech Shakespeares on farewell?