Shakespeare’s ‘Tempest’ at KSU is worth the challenge

March 13, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Stephanie Ottey

Taking on a Shakespearean play is a challenge that most theaters undertake at one time or another and few come out victorious. This is not from a lack of talent or hard work, but from a lack of understanding in how to engage and educate an otherwise unfamiliar audience in the words and ideas of Shakespeare. If it could be assured that every audience member had read and studied the text before coming to the theater, the director and cast members wouldn’t be concerned with translating what can be a very complicated script.

Likewise, the cast members need to have an even more thorough idea of what they are communicating in order to do so effectively. These casts and audiences are hard to come by, leaving most Shakespearean attempts wanting. “The Tempest” at Kent State University Trumbull is no exception.

Directed by Daniel-Raymond Nadon, “The Tempest” is actually one of Shakespeare’s simpler plots. As usual, Shakespeare infuses the natural world with the supernatural world in the play. The story revolves around Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, who now resides on a sprite-inhabited island, and his daughter, Miranda. A storm created by the magically powered Prospero leaves a crew of men shipwrecked on the island. These men are his brother and ex-kinsmen: the very people who brought him to exile. Through the help of the island fairies the shipwrecked men are reunited with their exiled friend, and all friendships are restored.

With an abundance of fairies, crewmen and integral characters, “The Tempest” requires a large cast. Nadon chose his cast well, with all of the leading performers exhibiting a strong understanding of the text. Of these actors, only a few were extremely successful in clearly communicating with the audience.

Tori Piper played the head sprite, Ariel, with an energy and lightness that created a very charming and whimsical character. She engaged her whole body to illustrate her dialogue and employed facial expressions that were equally effective in communicating her thoughts with the audience.

Cleric Costes brought fresh life to the show when he entered as the jester Trinculo. Like Piper, Costes engages physically with the thoughts and dialogue of Trinculo. His expressiveness is magnetic, and his pantomime and comedic timing skills are superb. His character is constant and consistent, an absolute joy to watch.

Tom Burd (Alonso), Evan Graham (Antonio), Ron Wolford (Sebastian) and Gabriel Cole (Gonzalo) are splendid together. They communicate with one another, acting and reacting, not simply reciting. They make the language seem easy to understand, and let the audience stop translating for themselves.

With a script such as ‘The Tempest’, where the natural world and the fairy world intertwine, there is a lot of room for the design team to have fun. It’s clear that this team did.

The makeup applied, and perhaps designed, by Kerri Rickard, is a highlight of the production. The design is thorough and convincing, particularly on Caliban, Prospero’s slave, and Gonzalo. Gonzalo is aged very neatly, and the bloodshot eyes and scrapes on Caliban make the audience believe in his abuse. The costumes designed by Cara Barker are equally effective.

The set is ethereal and flexible but slightly over-designed. A constantly running fountain is slightly distracting, and some hanging eggshell-like domes don’t quite fit the otherwise soft and dreamlike set.

The sound design also needed some editing. In the battle of thunderstorm sound effects vs. actors, the sound effects will always win. The first five minutes of “The Tempest” are inaudible save for the crashes of thunder and pouring rain.

All in all, however, this is hardly a poor production. There are many positive traits, as I’ve mentioned, and everyone should be encouraged to see Shakespeare whenever possible. If you choose to go, however, do some homework and read “The Tempest.” You’ll enjoy the performance much more if you can spend the evening watching without translating.

Performances of “The Tempest” will be at 3 p.m. today and next Sunday and at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 330-675-8887 for reservations.