2009
by
William Shakespeare
2009
by
William Shakespeare
Malcolm George as Arial
and Mike Venner as Prospero
Miranda Aoileann Ní Chinnéide
Juno Lauren Williams
Iris Trish Hendrick
Ceres Ciara Ní Mhurchadha
Boatswain Glenn Hodge
Anthonio Boris Nicholson
Sebastian Aidan O’ Shea
Alonso Des Whelan
Gonzalo Chris May
Trinculo Maxime Antar
Stephano Dubhaltach Tracey
Mariners Ciara O’ Connell Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin
Prospero Mike Venner
Ariel Malcolm George
Caliban Colm Mac Gearailt
Ferdinand Cathal Holden
In depth Review
In an era of short audience attention span and gratuitous treatment of classic
play texts, Beehive Theatre Company's production of The Tempest stands out
for the clarity of its delivery and its celebration of the beauty of Shakespeare's
language. The improvised musical accompaniment by Malcolm George (Ariel) and
Martin Schärer using mostly West African percussion instruments sets
the tone for this playful, magical production. Veronique Gerber's desert island
set, created in muted, earth-coloured fabrics and costumes is complimented
by the exotically costumed trio of dancing goddesses who grace the show. The
set is easily transformed through lighting, choreography and percussion to
affect the storm and shipwreck.
But truly it is Prospero and Ariel's tale. The charming interaction of Mike
Venner's grumpy, blustering Prospero and Malcolm George's pranksterly, betimes
petulant Ariel is a finely nuanced emotional duet. The choice of an older
Ariel is a winner, unfolding layers of relationship. Although the theme is
principally about Prospero's eventual willingness to relinquish power and
his conclusion that 'the rarer action is in virtue, than in vengeance', we
are continually amused and moved by Ariel's quest for freedom. The court characters
dressed in suits and hats are equally well cast, Boris Nicholson's smoothly
dangerous Anthonio skilfully embodying the menace of the piece throughout.
Their fluid, articulate delivery of the text quickly captivates even the most
reluctant visitor to Shakespearian language. Essentially it's about telling
the story well, and this is successfully done. Chris May's Oxford don-ish
Gonzalo is a fine debut.
The professional cast is joined by actors from the local school's transition-year
class, some of whom we've seen developing their talents over the course of
several collaborations with the company. The stakes are high in chosing to
perform Shakespeare but the risk has mostly paid off and Beehive's mandate
to develop theatre in the community, in terms of company funding, is fairly
met. Maxime Antar (Trinculo) and Dubhaltach Tracey (Stephano) play an amusing
double-act. It may have been wiser to cast the difficult role of Caliban using
an experienced physical actor, but Colm Mac Gearailt is best when he is poignant
and confused about 'civilized' behaviour. The young lovers are properly innocent
and not overdone.
I've seen this production three times now and enjoyed each one differently.
While Mike Venner has very carefully added a certain tongue-in-cheek delivery
that is not at all ham-ish, co-directors Malcolm George and Wendela Rosenberg
Polak would do well to restrain other cast members from trying something similar.
The final performace is next Saturday, September 5th, at The Studio, Cuilín,
An Daingean.
Review by Trish Howley
Ciara Ní Mhurchadha as Ceres
Boatswain Glenn Hodge holds
the ship in the 'Storm Scene'
Masks Patsy Farr
Percussion Martin Schärer
Chris May as Gonzalo and DezWhelan as Alonso
Aoife Ní Shúilleabháin and Ciara O' Connell
Lauren Williams Dancing
Miranda