3 Productions of The Tempest

Kings Cross Theatre 2017

• Set in a prison
• Stage surronded by seating that went up at an angle so that the stage is lower than the audience (like an ampitheatre)
• Actors would appear from behind the stop row of seats by using secret stair
• All female cast
• At points teh set of a prison appears to infiltrate the play with wardens being instated and stuff

• Large usage of music with a heavy beat instead of traditional wind music
• Sounds like hip hop and Ariel raps at one point

• Very few distincations in costume:
• Nobles wore grey (so did Prospero)
• Caliban carrys rubbish around as her gaberdine
• Ariel wore brightly coloured shorts and a hat and always carried around a microphone
• At the end Miranda appears in modern day clothing

• As a display of Prosperos power in the masque large white balloons are placed on the stage and there are images of the greatness of humanity on them (racing cars, volcanoes, babys, etc)
• The when Prospero remembers about Calibans plan she goes round a pops all the balloons thereby ending the scene

The RSC Globe Producion 2013

• Traditional staging as it would have been in Shakespeares day
• Open air
• Minimal props

• Traditional airy music used
• Ariels songs are sung with minimal musical accompaniment and are almost hushed whispers

• Ariel is much more emotional in this version and yet at the same time like a pet (easily manipulated and desperate to please)
• Caliban is presented in a demonical way with multicolured eyes…