Review: THE TEMPEST at The Rogue Theatre

THE TEMPEST, by William Shakespeare, is now playing through May 17 at The Rogue Theatre. This is a fantastical and rich work that utilizes a decent-sized cast and impressive live sound effects and music. The short version of this tale is that Prospero puts his magic to work and shipwrecks a group of men. Among them are the King of Naples and Prospero's brother Antonio. There is mischief and magic afoot, with Prospero's servant Ariel at the forefront, and a love story between the characters Ferdinand and Miranda. Like many of Shakespeare's works, the piece is rich and complex in its language. All of the actors do a fantastic job, led by the always wonderful direction of Cynthia Meier.

The thrust staging works well. The set features stairs, a balcony, and multiple playing areas, all within excellent intimate view of the audience. The island is intoxicating and pulls you in as an audience member. There is a reason this play is selling out. Often when I attend productions at The Rogue, I will head home and not attend the post-show Open Talk. I am making a mental note to attend next time. It would be fascinating to hear the perspectives of the cast and creatives. Since I did not attend this time, you should!

Music direction by Russell Ronnebaum and Liz Soflin is clean and crisp. It should be noted that this is first and foremost a play, and the music serves its elegant purpose of enhancing the action. Soflin does fantastic work on both percussion and in the execution of sound. Ronnebaum's original works provide the perfect musical setting for the play, and are pleasing to the ear. The cast produces a decent sound that fills the space nicely. I am always appreciative of The Rogue's efforts to bring in the important effect of music to their productions. Lighting design by Domino Mannheim is simply magical. I only noticed one late lighting cue the entire evening, and there were many cues!

Bryn Booth is hypnotic and intense as Miranda. She has a striking presence onstage and moves and speaks with confident vulnerability. Sophie Gibson-Rush likewise casts a spell on the proceedings with her work as Ariel. She is powerful, intimidating, and mysterious. Her bird-like ticks are interesting to watch. The scene with all of the Spirits screaming was genuinely terrifying and made my hair stand up on end. Many of the cast members are barefoot in this production, which fits the setting, tone, and theme. Costumes, also by Cynthia Meier, are elegant and stunning, with excellent attention to detail.

Joseph McGrath's scenic design and his performance as Prospero, are equally compelling. McGrath walks the razor's edge by being formidable and warm simultaneously. Every member of this cast is strong. Physicality is intentional, subtle, and grounded. Speech and vocals are resonant, with clear diction. Christopher Johnson is suitably anarchic as Caliban and virtually steals the show. Arnie Krauss brings a refined timbre and presence to his portrayal of Antonio.

THE TEMPEST is indeed a work of art and a fantastic performance that merits a sizable audience. Standing ovations happen perhaps too often in theatre, but The Rogue has certainly earned theirs. This is an absolutely exquisite production filled with extraordinary performances. Tickets: theroguetheatre.org. Photos: Tim Fuller

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