Staging (The Tempest)

This section explores the Staging and Performance of The Tempest by William Shakespeare. The Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays, offering rich opportunities for exploring staging and performance. The play’s unique blend of magic, natural elements, and human drama presents specific challenges and opportunities for theatre-makers, particularly in how they convey the supernatural and the changing dynamics between characters. Below are key points for revision regarding the staging and performance of The Tempest.

Context of the Play

• Date and Performance History: Written in the early 17th century, The Tempest is thought to have been first performed around 1611. Its first performance was likely at the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in London.
• Setting: The play is set on a remote, magical island, which is both a natural and supernatural space. The island's environment is crucial to the play's themes of isolation, power, and transformation.

Staging: The Physical Space

• Theatre Space: The play’s staging would have originally been done in the Globe Theatre, which was a large, open-air structure. The thrust stage design would allow for actors to engage directly with the audience, with minimal scenery, relying instead on costumes, props, and lighting to convey setting and mood.
• The Island: The island setting could be represented in various ways. Directors may opt for minimalistic set designs, using props, lighting, and sound to suggest the natural and supernatural aspects of the island, or more elaborate set pieces to visually represent the magical world. The island’s isolation could be depicted by ensuring a sense of space and emptiness around the characters.
• Prospero’s Magic: A key feature of The Tempest is the magic of Prospero. In performance, this can be represented with theatrical techniques such as lighting, special effects, or the use of audio-visual technologies. In the original Jacobean productions, magic would likely have been implied through illusionistic effects, using tricks like trapdoors or wires.

The Role of Music and Sound

• Music: The use of music is a significant aspect of The Tempest. The play’s opening, featuring the storm, is famous for its use of sound effects and music to create a dramatic atmosphere.
• Choral and Vocal Music: The music in The Tempest often carries symbolic meaning, with the songs (such as "Full fathom five") helping to reflect themes of death, transformation, and the supernatural.
• Sound Effects: The tempest itself is an early example of the use of sound to heighten the drama. The storm’s sounds could be represented with recorded or live effects, providing a powerful atmosphere. The use of sound to signify magic (such as Ariel’s songs or Prospero’s spells) can be key to making the supernatural feel real.

 Lighting

• Lighting Effects: In a modern production, lighting plays an important role in signalling the magical and non-natural world of the island. It can be used to represent the changes in mood or to reflect the power dynamics between characters. For instance:
• Magical Lighting: To represent Ariel’s magical powers, lighting could shift dramatically, perhaps with flashes or sudden changes in colour to signify enchantment or spirit intervention.
• Shifting Atmosphere: As the play moves from darker themes (such as betrayal and vengeance) to lighter resolutions (forgiveness and reconciliation), lighting can be used to signal these transitions, moving from cold, harsh lighting to softer, warmer tones.

Costume and Character

• Prospero: Often portrayed in robes or a cloak to emphasise his wisdom and authority. His costume may include elements that suggest his connection to both the natural world (such as natural textures) and the magical world (rich fabrics, perhaps symbolic of his former Duke status).
• Ariel: The ethereal spirit of Ariel is usually costumed to suggest their supernatural nature. This could be achieved through flowing, minimalistic costumes that use light, airy fabrics, or even costume elements that suggest the element of air (e.g., feathers, gauze).
• Caliban: As the creature of the island, Caliban's costume would reflect his brutal, primal nature. It may be rough, perhaps using earthy tones, to evoke his connection to the island, and could be designed to contrast with the refined costumes of the shipwrecked noblemen.
• Ensemble Cast: The play features a variety of characters (e.g., the shipwrecked nobles, the spirit world), each of whom may have distinct, visually contrasting costumes. The representation of these differences helps clarify the social and power dynamics.

Movement and Physicality

• Choreography: The play often includes moments that rely on physical theatre, such as Ariel’s flights, the masque scenes, or Caliban’s struggle for power. The choreography for these moments must underscore the supernatural and dreamlike qualities of the play.
• Ariel’s Movement: Ariel is often depicted as light, agile, and graceful in movement, embodying the spirit of air. This can be conveyed through dance-like movement or fluid, sweeping gestures.
• Caliban’s Movement: In contrast, Caliban’s movement would likely be more animalistic and grounded, reflecting his connection to the earth.
• Prospero’s Control: Prospero’s use of gestures and command over the other characters is crucial. His physical presence on stage should be one of authority and control, particularly in his interactions with characters like Caliban and Ariel. His manipulation of the elements through spoken words is often supported by physical movement that shows his mastery.

Directorial Interpretation

• Symbolism and Metaphor: Directors often interpret the island as a metaphor for the mind, a place of reflection and change. In some productions, the island is portrayed as an otherworldly space, while in others, it may have more psychological or allegorical undertones, reflecting internal states of the characters.
• Use of Metatheatre: The Tempest can be interpreted through a metatheatrical lens, highlighting the play’s awareness of its own theatricality. For instance, the character of Prospero, who refers to the magic of theatre (e.g., the “glittering” effect of his illusions), could be framed in a way that draws attention to the power of the actors and audience.

Thematic Considerations

• Power and Control: Staging can highlight the ongoing power struggle between Prospero and Caliban, and later between Prospero and the other nobles. Directors might use spatial relationships (who stands where on the stage) to emphasise these tensions.
• Forgiveness and Reconciliation: The final act of The Tempest is a moment of dramatic catharsis, and the performance should reflect the theme of forgiveness through physical and vocal shifts in the characters. This could be achieved through slow, deliberate movements as the characters reconcile, or through warmer lighting and more relaxed, open stage positioning.

Modern Adaptations and Innovations

• Contemporary Settings: Some directors set The Tempest in modern or alternative worlds, such as a post-colonial setting, focusing on themes of power, domination, and enslavement. This approach can make the play feel more relevant and allow for creative interpretations of the characters' roles.
• Multimedia and Technology: Modern productions may use digital projections or special effects to represent the magic of the island, creating a visually stunning experience that blends traditional theatre with technological innovation.

Conclusion

In staging and performing The Tempest, the director and actors have an opportunity to explore complex themes of power, identity, and transformation. The play’s magical elements require inventive use of lighting, sound, costume, and movement to bring its supernatural world to life. Whether through traditional or modern interpretations, The Tempest remains a flexible text that offers rich possibilities for theatre-makers to explore.