The Tempest, starring Kenneth Branagh, at The RSC Review
Written by Roni for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Stratford-upon-Avon is abuzz this season, as acclaimed actor Kenneth Branagh makes his long-awaited return to the RSC stage to play Prospero in this latest production of The Tempest. Will this be the triumphant comeback it is hoped to be?
The Tempest follows the rightful Duke of Milan, Prospero, who was usurped by his brother, Antonio, with the help of the King of Naples and his brother, Sebastian. Cast out to sea, he and his infant daughter Miranda are washed up on an island inhabited only by Caliban, the son of a witch, and Ariel, a spirit whom Prospero enlists to aid in the magic arts he performs. Years later, Prospero invokes a storm to wreck a boat containing his adversaries, leaving them his playthings as they are stranded on the island. Believing the King’s son drowned, Antonio and Sebastian plot to murder the monarch and take the throne. Meanwhile, his son Ferdinand has washed up under Prospero’s watchful eye and has fallen for the kindhearted Miranda. Using the situation to his advantage, Prospero reunites the father and son, forgiving those who have wronged him and uniting the nations through their children’s marriage, before setting off for Milan to reclaim his Dukedom.
This production is hailed as Branagh’s homecoming, a return to the RSC for the first time in 30 years for the star. The production opens with Branagh stepping forward, unannounced and with the house lights still up, dressed in what can only be described as a sorcerer’s robe, before picking up a conductor's baton and conjuring the titular tempest. We’re then taken on a fairly whistle-stop tour of Shakespeare’s last full play, coming in at around 2 hours and 15 minutes, including an interval. Whilst the main plot points are enacted enough for the story to be followed, this does feel like a slightly rushed retelling, especially to those of us who witnessed the formidable 2023 production here starring Alex Kingston. Branagh himself appears in a hurry, delivering his lines in a manner that borders on bored at times, although making the slightly odd choice to elongate some syllables for reasons not always clear. His larger monologues are, however, delivered with gusto, and he is overall very believable as a hapless father watching his only child fall in love with his enemy’s son.
Unfortunately, the whole show does feel slightly flat, and in 30-degree heat, too, the audience seems thankful for the shorter run time. Attempts have been made to bring some pizzazz, with a tilting stage to emulate the stormy seas, some digital backdrop effects, and the mystical Ariel travelling via a suspended harness that allows her to tumble and flip across the stage with ease. This isn’t quite enough, however, to truly invigorate us, and the production is lacking in some of that RSC magic we’ve come to know and expect.
The cast is doing a fine job, and their collective comedic output is a real saving grace. Ruby Stokes brings a wonderful innocence to Miranda that feels less naïve or childish, but more confident in exploring the new adult world she discovers. Fred Woodley Evans is similarly lovely as Ferdinand, pairing with Stokes’ Miranda to create a tender pairing that will have more seasoned members of the audience reminiscing on their own first loves. Keir Charles as Trinculo and Guy Henry as Stephano are a hilarious double act, and when joined by Ashley Zhangazha as Caliban, the trio provides an abundance of laughs to breathe some needed life into the story.
Overall, this production isn’t the RSC’s strongest, but even a weaker show is still a spectacle. There are some fun visual elements, and thankful moments of comedy to redeem the hurried pace coming from both the script and the star at the helm, but this is sadly not one to write home about.
The Tempest plays at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon until 20 June.
★ ★ ★
