Review (Vancouver/Theatre) The Tempest

Art direction lets dramatic comedy brim with magic

Jennifer Lines is captivating as the sprite Ariel

by Chris Lane
@chrislanetweets

One of Shakespeare’s most fantastical comedies is brought to life this summer at Bard on the Beach, in a performance sparkling with magic, along with plenty of humour and passion. Director Meg Roe, re-imagining the script after helming the same production at Bard in 2008, brings the audience under her spell with an immersive experience.

The play begins with a powerful tempest that appears to wreck a ship and leave all aboard to perish. But it is no normal storm, as it was created by a magician, Prospero, who lives with his daughter, Miranda, on an isolated island. He explains to her that he was once Duke of Milan, but was sent out to sea by his usurping brother, aided by the King of Naples – both of whom are trapped in Prospero’s storm. He allows them, and the others on the ship, to wash up on land – at his mercy.

Prospero has carefully laid out a plan for vengeance against those who sent him out to sea without even expecting him to survive. And yet once they arrive, they are the first humans he has met in years, and the most people his daughter has ever seen all at once. What remains to be seen is how much Prospero has changed in his time isolated on the island, and what his past still means to him.

His plan is largely carried out by a sprite, Ariel, who is in his service to repay him for rescuing her tortured soul. Jennifer Lines is delightful to watch as Ariel, giving a powerfully physical performance as she flits around the stage as the jittery and fair-natured sprite. She adds loads of energy and vivacity to every scene she’s in, which, fortunately for the audience, is quite a lot of scenes. While her character essentially plays second fiddle to Prospero (Allan Morgan), Lines’s very memorable performance makes Ariel the true star of the show.

The Question... Juliet Paperny on The Tempest

Holding Interest
by Estelle Rosen

Juliet Paperny is in her third year at McGill and facing the difficult question of what to do after graduation. After moving to Montreal from Vancouver she had to get used to two things: the frigid winters and the huge workload. The latter had been standing in the way of extracurriculars for a while; as a history and psychology student there isn't much room for outside projects. Ms Paperny had been acting since she was six, had helped direct for a few years in high school and has always been a Shakespeare fanatic. It was the end of last year when she decided to pitch The Tempest to Players' Theatre. She has since found her involvement with the McGill theatre community very rewarding and worth the hours of dedication. Though she is still grappling with the daunting task of post-undergraduate decisions, she's convinced this experience will stay with her no matter where she ends up. 

CHARPO:  What was it about Shakespeare that converted you to a Shakespeare fanatic, and  

as a fanatic, what is your opinion on the controversy whether Shakespeare wrote all those plays. The Tempest has been adapted in a variety of styles besides theatre including music and literature. Tell us a little bit about what form this production will take.

PAPERNY: William Shakespeare provided us with comedies, tragedies, histories and blends of all three; and what’s more, they’re all free to perform. I chose The Tempest because it’s one of the Bard’s rare combinations of humour, misfortune and fantasy, all taking place in real time. The Tempest pushes the boundaries and provides the audience with wondrous escapism. I selected The Tempest for this very reason. Players’ Theatre attracts many different people but for the most part, the audience consists of students, students with work, stress and little free time to spare. If they’re taking the time to come to the theatre in the middle of November it better be something that will hold their interest.