The Tempest (Donmar at St. Ann’s Warehouse) by William Shakespeare

I loved, loved, loved the all-female Taming of the Shrew directed by Phyllida Lloyd last summer in the park, so I was thrilled to have the chance to see her all-female The Tempest at St. Ann’s Warehouse.  This Tempest was the third leg of an all-female Shakespearean trilogy of which, unfortunately, I missed the other two, Julius Caesar and Henry IV. 

Led by the brilliant Harriet Walter as Prospero and set in a women’s prison, this Tempest was sparse in production value and huge in talent and execution.  Even my husband, who is not a dyed-in-the-wool Shakespeare lover, was blown away.

The story of the exiled Prospero, his daughter Miranda and his servant spirit, Ariel (played with puckish charm, wit, warmth and gorgeous physicality by Jade Anouka) said Tempest blows a ship onto their island.  The ship is carrying Prospero’s old enemy, Alonso, the King of Naples and his son, Ferdinand, as well as Prospero’s own brother, Antonio, who had usurped his title as the Duke of Milan.  There ensues a forbidden love story (between Miranda and Ferdinand) and a couple of plots to murder Prospero (which are foiled by his loyal, though longing for freedom Ariel).  All ends happily enough, with the lovers given Prospero’s blessing, the enemies given Prospero’s forgiveness and Ariel given freedom as all set sail and Prospero reclaims his dukedom.

This production used music and lighting to absolutely extraordinary effect and its setting was a stark reminder that we are all prisoners; of our beliefs, our foibles, our hurts, our pasts, our regrets.  What it also reminded us is that we hold the keys; love, forgiveness, understanding, humanity, to our own cells.