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The
Tempest is playing in Headington Hill, a woodland a short
walk from Oxford City Centre.
Tuesday
July 1 - Saturday September 13.
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A
magical evening - in more ways than one!
We
held our breath… the sky looked ominous. Will
it? Won't it? Fortunately, the rain held off for this delightful
new open-air extravaganza from Creation Theatre, now as much part
of an Oxford summer as punts, strawberries and May Day antics.
Creation
Theatre is justifiably proud of its reputation for working in unusual
settings and venues, and Headington Hill Park is no exception. The
leafy surrounds of the park and the splendid acoustics provided
the perfect backdrop for Shakespeare's mysterious tale of shipwreck,
island life, enchantment and young love.
Most
spellbinding of all were the amazing sleights of hand and magical
illusions conjured by the performers and devised by Visual Consultant
and member of the Magic Circle - Paul McEneamy.
With
dazzling effects ranging from levitation to the appearance of characters
seemingly from nowhere, these feats of wizardry were masterminded
by Seamus Allen who played the melancholy Ariel.
My only criticism of this otherwise excellent rendition is that
the magical setpieces to some degree distracted from some very strong
and subtle performances - Robert Lister's Prospero as a Machiavellian
yet sympathetic puppet-master; Raewyn Lippert and Tom Mallaburn
portraying Miranda and Ferdinand as innocents who reach new levels
of maturity and understanding; and Simon Donaldson's tempestuous
Caliban.
A
marvellous blend of the natural with the supernatural, in an exquisite
venue; there could be no more perfect way to spend a summer evening.
By
Victoria Roddam
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