The Tempest

Mind blowing Helpful considerate staff

The critics (apart from an excellent review in The Guardian) have been unfair about this production, They've focused on Sigourney Weaver, which isn't surprising, and it is true that she wasn't the best in the cast, but there was so much more to this production. The acting in general was first-class, especially Selina Cadell (as a female Gonzalo) and Mason Alexander Park, who frankly stole the show as an androgynous Ariel with a great vocal range and a strangely fitting cabaret singing style. This is where Weaver's lack of presence as Prospero was at its most obvious, since it was Ariel who seemed to have all the power and all the tricks. But as a woman playing a male role, it made sense for her to draw on quiet female strength rather than macho posturing, and this was effective up to a point. The minimal setting and props were used to magical effect through clever lighting, and the sound was superb, foregrounding the play's frequent reminders that 'The isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight' as well as giving a truly uncanny atmosphere through amplified voices. There was some cutting of the script, which unfortunately meant that some of the themes of this multilayered play (particularly colonialism and utopianism) were sold short. But overall, an eerie, yet often funny (largely thanks to Mara Huw's Miranda and Jason Banrett's Stephano), accessible production that reminded me why I love The Tempest.

I read some of the reviews before the show so I was unsure what to expect. I loved it. I thought the acting was brilliant and the set was fantastic. It was very dramatic and the comedy parts were very entertaining. I think the bard would have been proud.

The set was fantastic, but the comic parts were overplayed; caliban was more pathetic than evil, and Segounrey Weaver was handed a difficult card in playing a largely inanimate Prospero, and struggled to bring the character to any life at all. The one bright spot (beyond the stage and lighting) was Mason Alexander Park as Ariel.

Amazing and brilliant cast Sigourney was brilliant Wished I had revisited the original tempest story beforehand however didn’t affect my ratings

Excellent cast in this well presented play ~ thoroughly recommend & the script was suberbly written. Dramatic & well executed.

What a dreary, flat performance by Miss Weaver. Although the use of fabrics and lighting and the singing by Ariel were wonderful they didn't compensate. I couldn't wait for it to be over.

Excellent stage set. Some compelling acting. Overall enjoyable.

Very well acted and excellent effects. Super stage set. Ariel had great presence and entries were superb. Magisterial Prospero and beautifully stricken young lovers. A great performance

The lame sound effects or eerie music or whatever it was supposed to be near the end when prospero is talking took away from the words. Also distracting half her shirt was totally wrinkled as was the back but one side was not. Why have her sit there the whole time. It just didn’t work when she did speak it was without prospero energy.

The cast including Sigourney Weaver, Maxwell Alexander and Matthew Horne are fantastic in this compelling adaption of The Tempest.

Good sound and lighting design, but poor use of staging and a rather static and uninspiring cast-wide performance throughout.