Research Paper On The Tempest

Barry Cavin’s portrayal William Shakespeare’s The Tempest presented by the Bower School Music & The Arts was incredibly intimate and focused on acting. The play’s production felt as if produced and performed by aspiring youth with limited resources which contrasts perfectly with the play that many critics see as the master playwright expression of his farewell to the stage. The Tempest is believed to be written by famous William Shakespeare in 1610-11. The play preserves the writing of Shakespeare, and almost nothing major is changed from the plot. It is set on an unnamed remote island where the sorcerer and rightful Duke of Milan, Prospero, landed after being deposed and set adrift with his 3-year-old Miranda. Prospero plots to use illusion
The piece is beautiful, but also not distracting either since it is made of wood just like the background. It is also abstract since the ship would proportionately be much larger lending to the fantastical nature of the play, and lending to the limited budget ascetic it as often in low budget productions. Since in low budget productions resources are often spent on a few pieces to give the illusion of higher production values. Since the entire set is made from wood the set can be representative of multiple backgrounds. The organic quality of the wood lends to the natural feel of the island, while the constructed aspect of the wood can lend to ships and other mend made scenes as well. The only special pieces are also reminiscent of choices a child production might make: plush toys representing wild animals, wooden swords, music carried out by actors using modern instruments, people covered in black physically waving dresses to represent wind, casting shadows through sheets to represent sailing ships etc. The costumes are also inexpensive but powerful. Every human character wears leather sandals (both chronistically effective and inexpensive), the humans wear 50s era blazers or dresses (abstractly expressing rank through increasing the formality of the clothing and reminding me of kids rummaging through parents old clothing), and the clothing of Ariel is sequined, oceanic, surreal, and child’s
The acting possessed a subtlety that far surpassed what I expected for the age of the actors. For example, Prospero’s age was clearly demonstrated. Hanny acted with ample hand movements and a scratchy nurturing voice that elders tend to use more. She also kept her back tight as if possessing stiff joints. Caliban, the deformed servant, was incredibly acted in a way that clearly expressed that the actor was passionately enjoying his role. Daniel physically walked with his torso inches from the ground and winced in pain. His loud bellowing voice, his stuffed shirt, and the loud crash of the things he drops clearly demonstrates his strength as well. This portrayal of The Tempest elevates the Shakespeare’s commentary of theatre as illusion expressed through the lens of the soon to retire Shakespeare, by adding expression through the lends of the theatrically young and hungry. In a world of huge budgeted plays with exact representations and extravagant sets, being able to see minimalist expertly crafted expression is a much-appreciated sight for sore eyes. I would liken this play to Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino. I give the performance the maximum of five