2008 Woodie Awards
'Tempest' premeires at Drayton
USC students bring life to one of Shakespeare's best comedies, show talent
Ellen Meder
Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: The Mix
The world over, Shakespeare is considered the gold standard of theatre. Likewise, the Department of Theatre and Dance's Master of Fine Arts program is the highest-quality thespian work at the University of South Carolina. "The Tempest" will be running in alternating repetition with "Romeo and Juliet" starting today in Drayton Hall (adjacent to the Wardlaw College of Education).
Captained by masters directing student Neal Easterling, "The Tempest" delivers a solid, clean interpretation of what is considered one of Shakespeare's best plays. With an atypical plot that is set on a nearly deserted island and a storyline that is indisputably original, "The Tempest" is a great canvas to showcase some of South Carolina's best acting and production talent.
The action of the play begins when a ship carrying a royal party wrecks on a seemingly deserted island after a vicious storm. This is no coincidence, though, as the island has been the 12-year home to exiled sorcerer Prospero and his daughter Miranda. With the help of his indentured servant of a spirit, Prospero conjures the gale winds to bring his sworn enemies to his domain to pay for their misdeeds.
In true Shakespearean fashion, mayhem and magic ensue to address issues of betrayal and forgiveness as well as the timeless contrast between natural and fabricated society by placing the events in a tropical locale. This distinct difference is one of the big selling points of the play for people who typically find the social set-ups in Shakespearean plays contrived and not relatable to current society.
This particular production of the comedy truly breathes new life into the play. With a cast that is about half undergraduate students and half grad students, the entire cast has a polished professional depth to their delivery. From the start, Ariel, Prospero's siren-like nymph of a servant, played by Abby Page, sets the precedent with a commanding and expressive delivery.
Soon after, Brian Rooney takes up the reigns, filling the room to capacity with dominant presence and life as Prospero, similar to his work in the fall's "Oh! What A Lovely War." Humor and depth arise from the character of Caliban, the tribal, voodoo-esque, sub-human son of a witch who serves as Prospero's slave and key to the island. Michael Downey truly taps into his primal instincts to sell the play. Of course, no Shakespeare play would be complete without a dog, provided herein by the hilarious physical comedy and drunken antics of Trinculo and Stefano (Steven Kopp and Trey Hobbs).
Captained by masters directing student Neal Easterling, "The Tempest" delivers a solid, clean interpretation of what is considered one of Shakespeare's best plays. With an atypical plot that is set on a nearly deserted island and a storyline that is indisputably original, "The Tempest" is a great canvas to showcase some of South Carolina's best acting and production talent.
The action of the play begins when a ship carrying a royal party wrecks on a seemingly deserted island after a vicious storm. This is no coincidence, though, as the island has been the 12-year home to exiled sorcerer Prospero and his daughter Miranda. With the help of his indentured servant of a spirit, Prospero conjures the gale winds to bring his sworn enemies to his domain to pay for their misdeeds.
In true Shakespearean fashion, mayhem and magic ensue to address issues of betrayal and forgiveness as well as the timeless contrast between natural and fabricated society by placing the events in a tropical locale. This distinct difference is one of the big selling points of the play for people who typically find the social set-ups in Shakespearean plays contrived and not relatable to current society.
This particular production of the comedy truly breathes new life into the play. With a cast that is about half undergraduate students and half grad students, the entire cast has a polished professional depth to their delivery. From the start, Ariel, Prospero's siren-like nymph of a servant, played by Abby Page, sets the precedent with a commanding and expressive delivery.
Soon after, Brian Rooney takes up the reigns, filling the room to capacity with dominant presence and life as Prospero, similar to his work in the fall's "Oh! What A Lovely War." Humor and depth arise from the character of Caliban, the tribal, voodoo-esque, sub-human son of a witch who serves as Prospero's slave and key to the island. Michael Downey truly taps into his primal instincts to sell the play. Of course, no Shakespeare play would be complete without a dog, provided herein by the hilarious physical comedy and drunken antics of Trinculo and Stefano (Steven Kopp and Trey Hobbs).
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