The Tempest

New Farm’s Nash Theatre are celebrating the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death by fittingly staging what is regarded as his last written solo play, The Tempest.

Stretching the resources of the small company, Brenda White has assembled a large cast (over 20) to espouse the Bard’s treaty on revenge and ultimate forgiveness in a production that is both comic and romantic.

Leah Fitzgerald-Quinn and Isaac Barnes as the lovers, Miranda and Ferdinand, gave two of the most naturalistic performances on-stage – she projecting innocent and sweet with freshness, he robustly communicating ardour and first love. Their ultimate union was a given.

Nash Theatre regular Ralph Porter put his Irish brogue to good use and was the perfect fit for the indigenous Caliban, playing him not so much as a deformed grotesque, but as a man who’s been constantly reviled he solicited empathy. Frances Foo was a vivacious Ariel dispensing magic spells in a silver pedal-pusher suit with zest, whilst slapstick and buffoon comedy were the order-of-the-day in Gary Kruger’s performance as jester Trinculo which saw his sozzled routine an audience winner.

Which brings us to the protagonist Prospero, a character historians have claimed is based on Shakespeare himself. In his flowing robes, long white hair, beard and wooden staff Barry Haworth looked a lot like a ‘Jesus’ figure and as such commanded the stage with dignity. The character’s love of books could be found in his academic delivery of the text. It was a performance that was measured with restrained ambiguity.

The costumes could have done with more authenticity (the guys’ waistcoats certainly didn’t look 16^th century), but the goddesses and nymphs in their free-flowing finery fitted the bill well.

Praise to pianist Stuart Crisp and his original music and songs which had an elegant Elizabethan feel. They added colour to this ambitious production.

Peter Pinne