'Come unto these yellow sands'
Thunder echoes, lightning rips through the ragged fabric of the skies and the sea boils! The fleet of the King of Naples , on his way home after attending the marriage of his daughter to the Bey of Tunis, is scattered and feared lost as a storm of supernatural power threatens the lives of everybody on board.
The survivors eventually find themselves upon a magical island where everything is not as it seems and the past returns to demand a final reckoning.
'The Tempest', one of our literary masterpieces, is also one of the most enigmatic of Shakespeare's works. Much seems hidden below the surface. During the years since the play was first performed, as one of the Bard's final achievements, writers have been drawn to it constantly. Its themes have been recreated in operas, films and poems, and made the basis of philosophical and theological discussion. Many see the central character of Prospero / Prospera as the figure of Shakespeare himself, finally saying goodbye to his own genius.
As darkness falls in the ancient inn-yard of 'The George' and the martins swoop from the eaves, we hope that we will be recreating some magic of our own as plotters, clowns, monsters, spirits and lovers come together and the enchantress discovers that, although she can conjure fearful storms and darken the sun at midday, she can never change the nature and inclinations of the human heart.
As the storm clouds begin to gather, join us on a voyage of discovery that has only just begun. After the Tempest, many things will never be the same again!
Mo Pearce
Director