The Tempest | Shakespeare North Playhouse

Even in Shakespearean times, audiences were astounded by both the idea and the execution of magic. That is a mindset that has endured the centuries, continuing to titillate one’s most basic sense of wonder that often manifests itself during childhood, in whatever guise that may take. This could take the form of observing a close up magician make cards appear out of nowhere, watching Christopher Nolan’s film The Prestige on the big screen, or experiencing real, live magic being made on stage by actors and tech crews alike, as they bring to life these centuries old pieces of theatre. One has to wonder then, just how it’s possible to stage a play focussed on a selection of mystical, magical characters, yet somehow feel thoroughly deflated and disillusioned by it all.

One of Shakespeare’s latest and greatest works, The Tempest, tells the story of exiled former Duke of Milan Prospero, a wizard who now resides on a remote island with daughter Miranda, as well as servants Caliban and Ariel, as he attempts to gain revenge on his backstabbing brother Antonio by causing a mighty storm that ultimately causes a shipwreck, and strands the current king, along with his son, as well as others on board. What ensues is a series of events set into motion by Prospero, in order for him to regain power from his usurping sibling.

The company, under the direction of Nel Crouch, use every inch of the circular stage at the Shakespeare North Playhouse, a venue still in its relative infancy, through both the action on stage and the scenic design by Ellie Light. The upper echelons of the auditorium are adorned with tree branches, and letters making up the words ”Prospero’s Island” encircling the first tier, a charming idea in theory, but one that could have been better developed. Sadly, there was a lot of this going round, as much of this production is a muddle of half baked ideas which, when laid out together, form a confused, glib, and at times borderline farcical interpretation, that barely feels like it skims the surface of the play’s considerable narrative depth and complexity, of which Crouch must unfortunately bear the brunt.

This isn’t just limited to the visual presentation of the story, albeit with impressive lighting design from Charly Dunford, but how the characters are showcased makes it difficult to really engage with, or care about what’s going on. Prospero’s character in particular has been reduced to something of a blithering fool, reminiscent of Basil Fawlty, and try as she may, Lucy Green never really sells this iteration of the character, substituting the typical confident command of the stage one associates with Prospero with goofiness, flippancy, and a rather tiresome excess of slapstick. However, it must be said that her closing monologue is very well delivered. The cast of five should also be praised for their singing, with a rousing vocal harmony number in the final part of the play one of a tiny minority of highlights.

I do fail to see the need for the various bits and pieces of improvisation and audience participation, these feel random, completely at odds with the original text, and only serve as a distraction from a staging which it is already finding it difficult enough to hold our attention. All of this aside, most jarringly of all is the fact that this production seems completely devoid of any semblance of the play’s status as a complex tragicomedy. The darker themes of power, control and colonisation are treated with far too little care or attention, these instead getting lost in a sea of silliness and shenanigans, with a director who seems to care more about those on stage spending almost three hours over-acting and faffing about with props than actually telling a story with any degree of clarity. They presented a play about a shipwreck, which is exactly what this was.

The Tempest plays at Shakespeare North Playhouse until 25th October 2025.

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★☆☆☆☆ (1*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Patch Dolan