The Tempest
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Cititour.com Review
In many ways, Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” has always struck me as sort of a fractured fairy-tale, with its magician/protagonist Prospero, at its center, shape-shifting spirits, gruesome monsters, silly clowns – and ultimately, a moral about the importance of forgiveness. At times, the piece, which seems less focused than some of the Bard’s greater works, can be a bit of a slog, but Michael Greif’s sometimes traditional, sometimes inventive telling for the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park (at the Delacorte) keeps up mostly involved for the nearly three-hour running time.
Strangely enough, the slowest passages here come when Prospero is center stage, since the often-great Sam Waterston is never as commanding as he should be. His voice often drifts into a monotone, and he captures the gentle side of the character, the wronged Duke of Milan who has been exiled on a desert island for a dozen years, far more effectively than his nasty streak.
Fortunately, much of the supporting cast takes up the slack. The strongest work comes from Louis Cancelmi, who is deliciously vindictive and yet empathetic as the “monstrous” Caliban; the properly ethereal Chris Perfetti as the delicate Ariel (costumed, as are many, in a leather harness and grey slacks by Emily Rebholz); Danny Mastrogiorgio as the egotistical, power-hungry drunkard Stefano; and especially, the priceless Jesse Tyler Ferguson as the dim-witted court jester Trinculo.
Major kudos should also be given to Juilliard student Francesca Carpanini, who expertly captures the strength and innocence of Prospero’s teenaged daughter Miranda, amd recent NYU grad Rodney Richardson, who is charming as Ferdinand, the young prince who falls instantly in love with her. Conversely, the show’s so-called villains barely make an impact here. (It’s practically criminal how Cotter Smith is completely wasted here).
Greif does some wondrous things with Riccardo Hernandez’s steel-girded set, covered by a stunning digital photograph scrim of the titutlar tempest, and makes sublime use of a percussionist who sits to the left of the stage. There’s also some nice choreography from the talented Denis Jones, especially in an unusual sequence (gorgeously lit, as is the whole enterprise, by David Lander), in which the goddesses Iris (Olga Karmasnky), Ceres (Tamika Sonja Lawrence), and Juno (Laura Shoop) musically entertain Ferdinand and Miranda. (The show’s fine original music is by Michael Friedman).
And as always, a lovely summer’s night helps makes this stormy tale go by all the faster. But Greif and company get us (like the show’s character) safely back to our homeland without much grief.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://publictheater.org/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/FSITP/The-Tempest
Cast
Louis Cancelmi, Francesca Carpanini, Nicholas Christopher, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Frank Harts, Olga Karmansky, Tamika Lawrence, Danny Mastrogiorgio, Charles Parnell, Chris Perfetti, Rodney Richardson, Laura Shoop, Cotter Smith, Sam Waterston, Bernard White
Open/Close Dates
Opening 5/27/2015
Closing 7/5/2015
Theatre Info
Delacorte Theater
Central Park (81st St & CPW or 79th St & Fifth Av)
New York, NY
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