The Tempest, Theatre Royal Drury Lane Review
Sigourney Weaver in The Tempest. Photo by Marc Brenner
Written by Jenna for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Tempest: Will it go down a storm or is it missing some magic?
The lifelong Shakespeare fan in me was thrilled to step inside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to watch the much anticipated adaptation of The Tempest by director Jamie Lloyd. The significance of this play being staged here is mentioned in the programme by Andrew Lloyd Webber who recalls watching The Tempest performed here in his youth, so this fulfils his goal of returning Shakespeare to this famous stage after 66 years. Following the success of Romeo and Juliet, and of course Sunset Boulevard, Jamie Lloyd has had a run of hits with his stripped-back, contemporary directing style, so I was excited to see his take on this well-known play about magic, betrayal and forgiveness.
The atmosphere the sound and lighting team creates is quite extraordinary - from the eerie, almost sci-fi-style music that is played throughout the play, to the huge curtain that inflates ominously towards the audience as you take your seats. The blackouts were the darkest I have ever experienced in a theatre, creating the most incredible opening as the single figure of Prospero appears on stage in the middle of a tempest, complete with a lightning storm and a giant curtain billowing in the wind. As we’ve come to expect from Jamie Lloyd the staging is minimalistic in a muted palette of black, grey and blue. The simple set worked, adding only small details such as a sparkly swathe of material creating a stormy sea (I can only assume that the rest of the budget was spent on dry ice (contact lens wearers, you have been warned!) The rocks of the island on which the story is set created platforms for the actors to sit on, the different levels providing a dark and barren landscape on the stage which is otherwise exposed, showing the flys and riggings of the theatre.
Sigourney Weaver stars as Prospero, former Duchess of Milan, living on an island with her daughter Miranda, and two servants, the wild and monstrous Caliban and the airy spirit Ariel. The beloved movie star speaks every line perfectly, with wisdom and authority as every good Prospero should, however each monologue was quite similar and monotone in their delivery as she gazes out intently into the audience. She made little attempt to communicate the meaning of Shakespeare’s words through her gestures and facial expressions, as others have done in the past, although perhaps this was intentional. The wit and magic that I have come to associate with Prospero I felt was missing from Weaver’s performance, although it worked well with the overall ‘moody’ tone of the production. The famous line “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded by a sleep” is delivered elegantly, though not quite stirring the emotion I have felt at other performances of this play.
Mason Alexander Park in The Tempest. Photo by Marc Brenner
The change to a female Prospero works beautifully; so much so that I would have liked to see this expanded on a bit more, as the story would have worked just as well with Prospero being a powerful witch rather than a wizard. The magical element of Prospero’s character is downplayed somewhat, with only one scene in which Prospero uses her powers to control Ferdinand. I would have loved to see Sigourney use her feminine energy a little more in her characterisation and appearance. I enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship between Prospero and Miranda, particularly her advice on men, which is different from a woman-to-woman conversation. For the rest of the play, Prospero remains onstage sitting and watching the action, somewhat unnecessarily in my view.
For me, Sigourney Weaver is by no means the show’s star. In the words of one audience member that I overheard “Ariel seems to be channelling Lady Gaga” - and it works. The drama that the character brings creates some of the highlights of the play, with the spirit appearing mesmerising and ethereal descending from the sky, looking fabulous in feathers and a gold basque. Mason Alexander Park’s hauntingly beautiful vocals work incredibly well as Ariel sings later in the play, and I found the spirit’s speaking voice is just as hypnotic. Mara Huf as Miranda is perfect as the teenage daughter falling for the first man she sees, the handsome and charismatic Prince Ferdinand. I enjoyed the sense of longing and passion in the lines delivered between the two young lovers. I felt that the characters of Alonzo, Gonzalo, Sebastian and Antonio sadly had very little impact on the production despite the calibre of the actors playing them.
Much needed comic relief is provided by Jason Barnett as Stephano and Matthew Horne as Trinculo, the Jester. Horne plays his part with almost panto-esque silliness, reminding me a little of Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses. Barnett is hilarious in a more understated way, his comic timing impeccable and completely believable as the King’s drunken butler. Forbes Masson is as perfectly repulsive (as Shakespeare intended) as snivelling ‘monster’ servant Caliban, who plots with Stephano and Trinculo to kill and be free of his mistress.
Interview: Mara Huf, The Tempest
I have to admit despite there being so much to enjoy about this production, there were times when it felt a little flat. Towards the end of the play, Prospero symbolically changes her robe and talks of forgiveness to those who plotted against her, including her brother Antonio. The other characters walk around her in circles, effective at first, but this goes on too long and is a disappointing climax to the story. Even the freeing of Ariel, which I expected to be as spectacular as the entrance, was rather dull in comparison. As a Shakespeare fan, I simply enjoyed the richness of the script itself, however, I can understand that those expecting a ‘Sunset Boulevard’ level of groundbreaking theatre would leave disappointed.
Overall I would recommend seeing The Tempest during its limited run, if only to revel in the combined genius of Shakespeare’s playwriting with Jamie Lloyd’s direction. Sigourney Weaver’s West End debut left me a little underwhelmed, though there is no denying her stage presence and her intense yet interesting take on the character of Prospero. Mason Alexander Park’s Ariel brings enough magic and enchantment to captivate the audience, and Stephano and Trinculo remind us why The Tempest is in fact listed in the first folio as a comedy play. Perhaps this will not prove to be Jamie Lloyd’s most celebrated work, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable production nonetheless.
At Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 1 February 2025
★ ★ ★.5
