So I had read Shakespeare's play Winter Quarter in one of my classes, and I really enjoyed it. When I saw that Ohio University was putting on a production of The Tempest I decided what better way would I combine entertainment with an idea for another blog? I enjoyed it for the most part, but the English Major in me was a bit disappointed with how it didn't fit the actual play. It was interesting to say the least.
It certainly was different than the actual play. Costumes were elaborate and colorful, some of the characters talked with accents, and lighting and props were amazing. The characters had a completely different spin on them: Prospero, the man who lives on the island and works his magic, seemed more of a crazy witch-doctor mixed with the Mad Hatter with long gray hair and a decorative lab coat with red tie and top hat. Ariel, his mischief making nymph, was completely redone with artistic license for the play: she had a light and dark side which was played by two different people and was dressed in what looked like under-armor with fringe. They also changed the usurping brother of Prospero from "Antonio," to a usurping sister named, "Antonia." The group of nobles and the King of Milan were all dressed like they were secret agents: sunglasses and all black suits. The acting was very well done, and what pleased me the most was how enthusiastic they were about performing.
Although much of the play was redone and extremely modernized, it was still performed well. The music that played in the backgrounds of scenes was appropriate for the events during that scene, and the effects added some comedy into the play as well. My favorite scene would have to be the very beginning of the play. Prospero, who had been sitting in the audience, started asking why the play was not starting, and then walked on stage. There before him dropped down a suit, hat, tie, and umbrella (his magic staff). He put these on and began testing out his new magical powers, which led to the creation of the storm which causes the little boat to land near his island. I liked how the boat was actually played by a person: a woman dressed in white fringe (representing foam from the sea) and a hat that looked like an iceberg, all white, and a little boat figure on top. She danced in place on stage, turning her head this way and that, to which the boatsmen on stage would fall to one side or the other.
The play was very well done, and creative. Although it was not what I had originally expected it to be, it was still good. As far as an aspect of the arts goes, the play very much incorporated a lot of the different elements of the arts. There was some dancing, a lot of music either instrumental or vocal, and of course acting. To see such variety in a play impressed me and I thought it was more enjoyable. I had never seen a play by Shakespeare performed live before, and to see one that was modernized and so creative I think was more accessable to me, because I could apply things that were going on today to the play.
As an English Major, I think that I came into the play expecting this grandiose performance of the Bard's work, line for line, everything the way it was in the text, and that sort of made me skeptical. But after a while, I started looking at the artistic side of the performance. I really did enjoy the play, despite the differences between the play and the performance, and I learned a lot about how every person sees something different, whether it is a putting on a play written by someone else, or music, or paintings. Every aspect of the arts can be changed and molded into what the person thinks best fits the times or the best way to get a specific message out. This production, with its artistic creativity and changes only added to how the people wanted the audience to perceive the play: applying the text to modern times, and to help them understand it better. That is the beauty of art, that it can be transformed and taken so many different ways. There is no right or wrong.
