TO THE EDITOR:
Bravo to PlayMakers for your enchanting production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”
Caliban is to me the key player. He knows every nook and cranny of the enchanted island, which is his to start with. However, Prospero, with his magical powers, promptly enslaves him and claims the island for himself. This can be considered to symbolize the conquest of aboriginal people, or “noble savages,” using high tech (magic) by “civilized” Western Europeans and Americans.
Caliban’s foiled plot to kill Prospero, burn his books about magic and take over the island illustrates the futility of these aboriginal people. Caliban’s story can be thought of in the context of colonialism and illustrates how prescient Shakespeare was.
Ariel was so beautiful in her skin-tight costume, and she assumed visually pleasing statuesque positions poolside, even when she wasn’t talking. I loved the lighting which showed the rippling of the pool. The beautifully-acted love scene of Ferdinand and Miranda was the essence of true love at first sight. Julie Fishell’s portrayal of Prospero was wonderful, low key and at the same time she was in charge of everything. The program would have been more helpful if Shakespeare’s description of each character had been included. As I left after the show, I was thinking:
“Heigh-di ho, it’s off to sleep, I go.
“And when I dream it will be the magic of Prospero.”
Steven Shafroth
Professor emeritus
Physics
