The Story - THE TEMPEST
(written c.1611)

Set in a world of magic, mystery and romance, The Tempest tells the story of Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan and a scholar of the magic arts. Twelve years earlier, Prospero's brother Antonio and King Alonso of Naples conspired to usurp Prospero's throne, setting Prospero and his three-year old daughter Miranda adrift in a boat. However, Gonzalo, a faithful councillor, provided the castaways with supplies and they made it safely to an enchanted island called Illyria. Here, Prospero became master over Ariel, a spirit of the air whom he magically freed from a tree, and Caliban, the son of an evil sorceress.

As the play begins, Alonso, Antonio and others of the court are returning home by sea from celebrating the wedding of Alonso's daughter to a foreign prince. Prospero summons a terrible storm which shipwrecks their vessel on the island. The passengers, however, are magically transported safely ashore, though Ferdinand, the King's son, is separated from his companions. Drawn by Ariel's singing to Prospero's cave, Ferdinand meets Miranda, now a beautiful young woman, and the two fall instantly in love. Prospero is secretly pleased but tests Ferdinand's mettle by setting him to hard labour.

Meanwhile, Alonso, his brother Sebastian, Antonio and Gonzalo wander sadly along the beach in search of Prince Ferdinand. Ariel lulls all to sleep except Antonio and Sebastian, who then plot to murder Alonso and seize the throne of Naples for Sebastian. Ariel awakens the sleepers before the conspirators can act.

Isolated elsewhere on the island, Stephano, a drunken butler, and Trinculo, a jester, encounter Caliban, who complains bitterly about his slave-like condition under Prospero. Emboldened by the influence of Stephano's free-flowing wine, Caliban tries to enlist the two in a plot to kill Prospero and reclaim the island for himself. He even promises to give Miranda to Stephano. Unseen, Ariel hears their evil designs and reports the plan to Prospero.

In the meantime, Miranda and Ferdinand exchange vows of love and Prospero blesses their engagement. Prospero and Ariel mock Alonso and his followers by creating a magical banquet that vanishes when they try to eat. Then Ariel, disguised as a harpy, reproaches them for their conspiracy against Prospero. Convinced that Ferdinand is dead, Alonso believes it is punishment for his own crime and repents his cruel deed.

Later, at a masque to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand, Prospero remembers Caliban's plot and abruptly calls the revels to a halt. He sends Ariel to punish the conspirators by tempting, tricking and terrifying them with magic. With all lured before him, Prospero confronts his brother and Alonso, revealing his true identity as the rightful Duke of Milan. He demands that Antonio restore his dukedom and rebukes Sebastian for plotting against his own brother. Finally he takes the grieving Alonso into the cave for a joyful reunion with his son. During this reconciliation Ariel appears, reporting that the ship is ready to continue home.

Before he leaves the island, Prospero fulfils his pledge to Ariel, releasing her from service. Ariel promises calm seas and auspicious winds for the voyage back to Naples and Milan.

THE STAGING

Director Meg Roe is giving The Tempest a classical, 17th century, Jacobean setting. She has drawn on her extensive work as a sound designer to weave music into the production and she sees the famous architect of the 1600s Inigo Jones as influencing the show's design elements and the materialization of the magic.