The A.R.T.'s The Tempest

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/17/14 at 8:37pm

Anyone else see it yet? What a visual treat! A joy to behold.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 5/17/14 at 9:47pm

The Tempest is perhaps my most favorite of Shakepeare's plays! I look forward to seeing this.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/17/14 at 11:04pm

Next week for me.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 5/17/14 at 11:48pm

This is the production that Tom Waits and Teller were working on, correct? Can anyone speak to their contributions and how they mesh with each other and/or the production as a whole? Two of my all-time favorite artists in their respective fields.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 2:40am

Yes.

There was a talk back session at today's matinee. The only thing said about the music, was that Waits was never at rehearsals. A comment was made about the music already being written. However, I don't really know if that means written before they commenced rehearsals or written without the show in mind and just prepared for production.

The music was really interesting and beautiful. I think I'd be interested in a recording just to have the opportunity to REALLY listen to it and let it fully sink in.

Teller co directed this with Aaron Posner. I found it to be incredibly cohesive, thought provoking and breath of fresh air. The only other production I've seen of this was CSC's of a few years ago with Mandy Patinkin. SUCH a different intensity from that production.

The show has a bit of a steampunk feel, particularly with the set and music and staging. I think I could examine the set alone for an hour in awe and silence. The lighting was also stunning.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 12:42pm

Any pictures? I'd imagine this is aiming for NYC? Maybe New York Theatre Workshop?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 1:55pm

I've seen only a few...I'll try to link them.

In one of the articles I read, it suggested there was interest in bringing it to NY...but I have no info if there is anything to it.


http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2014/05/15/art-conjures-tempest-magic/XT2lmn1b9L5U10xiE0QLmO/story.html

Updated On: 5/18/14 at 01:55 PM

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 3:29pm

dramamama wrote:
"There was a talk back session at today's matinee. The only thing said about the music, was that Waits was never at rehearsals. A comment was made about the music already being written. However, I don't really know if that means written before they commenced rehearsals or written without the show in mind and just prepared for production."

The Tom Waits' songs already existed before this production ever came about. Tom Waits gave this production access to his entire canon. Songs were chosen to be used for this production. So, the songs were NOT written with this show in mind. They were existing songs. That said, this production has its own music arranger and so the arrangements themselves could be said to be new.

Updated On: 5/18/14 at 03:29 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 3:45pm

Thanks, Soozie! (That's what I thought when they said it, but upon thinking on it, I just wasnt' sure!)

[jnb9872]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 3:56pm

Thanks for that tidbit, Soozie. Now I'm interested in which songs have been selected, and I definitely hope to hear the new arrangements. His music is so evocative, and those who can't hear past his voice should hopefully get to hear others sing his work.

Updated On: 5/18/14 at 03:56 PM

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 4:21pm

jnb9872:
I saw the opening night at A.R.T. and I wish I could list you all the songs that are in the show, but I don't know all the titles. Some that are in it (but not all) are:

Dirt in the Ground
Everything You Can Think Of Is True
Clap Hands
Shiny Things
Innocent When You Dream
God's Away on Business

It sounds very different than hearing Tom Waits singing this music as he has a very distinctive voice, and in this production, the singers are both females.







Updated On: 5/18/14 at 04:21 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 4:31pm

The women's voices are so unique individually, but together they are mind blowing.

The program does not list the songs, so I cannot post them for you.

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/18/14 at 4:41pm

I particularly thought the scene where Prospero does a levitation of Miranda (in itself amazing) where the song, Shiny Things, is sung, was incredible. There were also two musicians playing the rims of water filled glasses on this number. The whole thing was very unique.

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/20/14 at 10:00am

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the show includes the following songs (but these are not all of them):
Dirt in the Ground
Everything You Can Think Of Is True
Clap Hands
Shiny Things
Innocent When You Dream
God's Away on Business

But based on another review of the show, I noticed it also includes the following song:
Singapore

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 9:59am

Based on reading another review, I found another song in this show. It is:

Little Drop of Poison

So far, these are the Tom Waits' songs I have found in The Tempest:

Dirt in the Ground
Everything You Can Think Of Is True
Clap Hands
Shiny Things
Innocent When You Dream
God's Away on Business
Singapore
Little Drop of Poison

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 10:15am

Some great songs in there! Weirdly, some of them WERE written for theatrical pieces. "God's Away on Business" for a WOYZECK musical and "Everything You Can Think..." for one about Lewis Carroll.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 10:32am

Innocent When You Dream was from his Steppenwolf show FRANKS WILD YEARS, too.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 11:16am

That's right!

And "Little Drop of Poison" is used in SHREK 2...

Updated On: 5/22/14 at 11:16 AM

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 11:52am

Oh, that is all very interesting to learn!

In The Tempest, Tom Waits' music sounds a lot different hearing females sing his songs compared to his voice!

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/22/14 at 11:53am

Oh, that is all very interesting to learn!

In The Tempest, Tom Waits' music sounds a lot different hearing females sing his songs compared to his voice!

[Soozie]

Posted: 5/23/14 at 11:06am

A.R.T. has posted a YouTube clip of Testimonials of The Tempest. In it, you get glimpses of the acting, staging, magic, singing/music, etc., along with reactions from audience members. It is a nice snippet of the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kdn_plP9Ps&feature=youtu.be
Updated On: 5/23/14 at 11:06 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/25/14 at 12:53am

I agree it was lovely to look at and always surprising, with nice integration of most of the magic and the music. I thought Miranda's levitation was particularly egregious and the only bit of magic that didn't seem to come from anyplace organic in the play. I also thought the show desperately needs a Prospero upgrade. Tom Nelis is just an actor I can not connect with, I couldn't when he was in Darko Tresnjak's woebegone Merchant of Venice a few seasons back. His opening speech was barely comprehensible. Basically, I thought he was good enough.

Because he doesn't have much of a presence the show is kind of lopsided. His final speech, one which has left me blubbering in the past, isn't half as powerful as it could be with an actor with more presence and connection to the language and the audience.

For my money, Eric Hissom all but walks off with the show as that drunken lout Stephano. He steals every scene he is in.

I thought I knew just how Caliban would be played when I saw some stills, but I could never have imagined all that the good folks from Pilobus managed to make happen. Totally terrific.

I'm really glad I saw this production, if you have a ticket, you'll be glad you did too. If you don't, the show's sold out but don't feel all that bad, as if you're missing a must-see event. I wouldn't whole heartedly recommend the show to one and all like I did the Rylance "Twelfth Night."

Updated On: 5/25/14 at 12:53 AM

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 5/25/14 at 3:17am

The Tempest I always consider to be Shakespeare's weakest plays (tied with Merchant of Venice) but this production was well done enough to make the show worthwhile. The set alone is worth going to the theatre for.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/25/14 at 10:38am

That's interesting. I don't think it's weak, I always think of it as Shakespeare's retirement declaration. The emotions in it resonate more with me as I age.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/25/14 at 1:46pm

Aw....Namo....I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as I did. I was really enchanted. I was unsure of having a less bitter Prospero but I really liked the shift in idea to the family. (Maybe another example of age!)

My kids, that haven't had too much experience with live Shakespeare (yet) were really open to it and understood things perfectly -- and I loved watching them discover Shakespeare as relatable.