On reflection, there is truly no greater venue to witness The Tempest is all its bewitching glory than the Sydney Opera House. A small point of splendour girt by sea (mostly), here you can almost imagine yourself an amateur Prospero, cast upon Bennelong Point and uncertain of the fate awaiting you amongst the elementals and forgotten magic of conjurers past.
Of course, this production already holds unique anticipation, given it is John Bell’s directorial swansong from the company he founded a quarter-century ago. The knowledge prompts you to anticipate a show rife with the secrets and tricks a lifetime of Shakespearean lore allow, yet here at the end of his watch Bell demonstrates just what made him a director of renown in the first place. He forgoes unnecessary theatrics, and while the show is not devoid of illusion and great spectacle, the magic of the stage is of a more traditional kind; the language is what seduces and enthrals, granting the audience the opportunity to imagine much of the island landscape.
To this end, we are aided by a truly outstanding score by composer Alan John and an ensemble that, though somewhat uneven, brings The Tempest to engrossing life. Familiar as many will be with the story, such is the natural frisson these actors bring to the role there is rarely a missed beat and the play skips along at great pace. Brian Lipson plays the mercurial Prospero with a steady hand, deftly switching from tender mischief to almost befuddled rage; especially in his regard for the tormented Caliban (played with bestial relish by Damien Strouthos), you almost feel as though the years of exile have pushed him into senility. Yet of the principle cast, Lipson seems to strain the most with maintaining faith in his lines (Robert Alexander’s Gonzalo struggles to find life in similar fashion, though issues with projection also hamper his delivery).
Strong as the production is, with Matthew Backer as the spirit Ariel and Eloise Winestock as Miranda the play simply soars. Backer’s ethereal movement about stage is matched only by his splendid singing voice, and Winestock is simply enthralling; a performance so entertaining and honest, so seemingly comfortable is hard to find.
Particular praise must also go to Julie Lynch’s costuming (ten points for Evil Ariel) and set design; the vision of Prospero conjuring the opening storm is the stuff of Fellini. A fitting, imaginative close to Bell’s tenure.
4/5 stars
The Tempest plays at the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House until Friday September 18.
