Cappies Review of 'The Tempest' at The Madeira School

By Gillian Wright of McLean High School

Lightning electrifies the stage and gusts of wind hurl people to the floor, the desperate sailors’ shouting barely rose above the cacophony of gale winds. Yet from such chaos commencing Madeira’s production of “The Tempest” arose something beautiful as the quite real shipmates combined with the mystical elements of the island upon which they landed to form a unique harmony.

Shakespeare’s style is clear in “The Tempest,” during which one comedic, one dramatic, and one tragic plot concurrently transpire. Prospera, a wizardess and former duchess of Naples, rules an obscure, bewitched island, where she lives with her daughter, Miranda, her enslaved fairy, Ariel, and a captive beast, Caliban. When Alonsa, Sebastiana, Ferdinand, and their companions, all from Naples, are shipwrecked, they each land separately upon the island. Ferdinand and Miranda fall in love while shipmates Stephano and Trinculo make fast friends with Caliban.

Kelleen Moriarty, playing Prospera, employed well-developed characterization to smoothly transition between interactions. Clad in a royal purple gown, Moriarty first maternally guided Miranda (Grace Owen) through her struggles, then authoritatively commanded her magical subjects. Owen convincingly portrayed Miranda as a sheltered young woman heady with her first love, while across from her Ferdinand (Vei Vei Thomas) displayed a wide variety of emotions as she strove to simultaneously woo Miranda and fulfill Prospero’s harsh demands.

In an unconventional interpretation, Ariel was played by two actresses, Cori Williams and Diana Smith. Sometimes alternating lines and at other times acting in perfect synchronization, the two made a cohesively whimsical pair. Kerstin Shimkin was impressively animalistic in her portrayal of Caliban, embracing a crouched, primitive physicality and ribald personality. Enthralled by the subhuman creature, Stephano (Mary Kate Gould) and Trinculo (Jeeho Ha) played off each other and their new friend in their constant joking and joviality. Ha stood out especially, using her exaggerated facial expressions and thorough understanding of the meaning of her lines to leave the audience in peals of laughter.

Built entirely by students, the set added depth to the show, both literally and figuratively. Standing on a detailed stone hill, Prospera was able to exert her dominance by elevating herself above the other characters, while a hollow stage extension allowed Caliban to scramble up to the stage from below, signifying her inferiority. Strategic placement of set pieces encouraged an engaging flow of actors around the stage, augmenting the dynamism of the show. The professional lighting was breathtaking as it replicated sunsets, storms, and surreal skies with every imaginable combination of colors. Though there were occasional issues with the actresses’ projection, strategically placed stage microphones enabled the audience to hear almost every line.

A play written 400 years ago for solely male actors may seem a doubtful choice for an ensemble of all female actresses. But between the skillful comedic timing, authentic chemistry, and alluring technical designs, the Madeira School’s production of “The Tempest” was successful in every respect, making this show a truly enchanting experience for everyone involved.