I will try to keep this short for once. I am just back from the preview of The Tempest at Bard on the Beach. The play runs 2.5 hours. I think they trimmed a fair bit, as I am pretty sure there was a lot more about Antonio and the doings of his brother (and Prospero's usurping brother). What they focused on, much more than I remembered from the text, is the silliness of the two women who give wine to Caliban and end up soused themselves. They pretty much steal the show, I guess because the director really wanted to have some clowning around. (There is even a bit where they steal some of Beyonce's choreography from Single Girls.)
It was a very enjoyable performance, and the focus was on fun and spectacle. What was lacking was any kind of dramatic tension at all. The whole thing is a wish fulfillment exercise for Prospero. He is never challenged, never not in charge. I'm pretty sure I've seen one version where the balance was shifted a bit, but no question it is kind of hard to put on a play where there is no question about who is on top throughout.
I'm a bit sorry I didn't take my son, even with a bit of PG-13 additions (again, the two soused ladies), but he probably would have had some trouble following the archaic language. I think Midsummer's Night's Dream is a better entree into Shakespeare, and he is coming along to that on Sat. I've seen an early review, and it was quite positive. So I've picked two winners for my presumably last experience with Bard on the Beach. Macbeth from two seasons ago and Hamlet from last season certainly had their moments, but both had a few odd directorial choices. I think these two will be a fitting send off if I don't manage to get work to bring me back to Vancouver in future summers.
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