Word: prosperos
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Dates: during 1970-1970
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...enough, The Tempest itself is one of Shakepeare's most difficult plays to understand. Attempts at interpretation invariably fail, explaining one-aspect of the story at the expense of some equally important part, Calling The Tempest a comedy, though it is humorous in parts, ignores the gripping with which Prospero works out his revenge against his brother Antonio, who usurped the dukedom of Milan from Prospero...
THIS exaggeration of the action fills the lines of dialogue with meaning-in the second act, as Prospero tells Miranda how and why they were exiled, the rest of the cast mimes the story, thereby illustrating the lines and introducing the audience to the characters. But the superfluous movement (superfluous to Shakespeare) detracts from the subtleties of the verse and characterization. As a result, Robert A. Morse as Prospero, who by his magic has gained control of the island, plays his part a bit superficially, failing to communicate the tension that Prospero must feel at giving up his magic...
Betty Byrne, as Ariel, the "light and airy spirit" who does Prospero's bidding, is active and agile in the part, and Roxana Proser, as Caliban, creates a growling, beastly slave. Kaarel Kaljot, who plays both Antonio and Stephano, the King of Naples' drunken butler is particularly expressive and imaginative in both roles, prancing and reeling as Stephano and striding somberly as Antonio...
...scenes in which Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, the King of Naples' drunken jester (slightly overplayed by Dan Hermann), conspire to wrest the island from Prospero's control are especially humorous. Since Bergreen has chosen to direct the play as a comedy, the celebration of Ferdinand and Miranda's marriage in the fourth act, at which Prospero displays his magical powers by creating a host of spirits, is played in a light and frivolous vein, Iris and Ceres reciting their lines like girls in a sixth-grade English class. This parody of the wedding hymn, necessary to maintain the exaggerated acting...
Ferdinand, portrayed by John Archibald, and Miranda, played innocently by Kent Wilson, are starry-eyed lovers caught under Prospero's magic spell. Rick Carr as Alonzo, the King of Naples, is the least active of the cast, and at times his performance seems uninspired...