“The Tempest” by Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Guildhall Theatre, Derby.

Shakespeare’s final play is a pot pourri of emotions. Close to a Mediterranean island, a storm overcomes a ship that carries King Alonso of Naples, his son Ferdinand, and his brother Sebastian. They were on their way home from Tunis to Italy when the storm hit, and their ship is demolished in the process. Shipwrecked with them are the courtier, Gonzalo, and the Duke of Milan, Antonio.

From the island, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his fifteen year-old daughter, Miranda, watch the storm and the shipwreck. Miranda fears for the ship's crew, but Prospero assures her that everything is fine. He decides to open up about his past, telling her how twelve years previously, he had been deposed in a coup by his brother, Antonio.

With the aid of Gonzalo, Prospero had escaped in a boat with the infant Miranda and his books of magic. They travelled to the island and made it their home, while the only native islander, Caliban, was made their slave.

The only other inhabitants of the island are the spirits including Ariel, whom Prospero had rescued from imprisonment in a tree. Since Antonio is on the boat that is now shipwrecked, Prospero hopes finally to rectify his past. As Miranda sleeps, Prospero plots with Ariel about his role in the shipwreck and what to do with the men now that they are on the shore.

I was very privileged to be invited along to the dress rehearsal of this new production and I can promise you that you're in for a treat.

With Shakespeare it’s very open to interpretation from the Director as well as the audience, which is why we see so many different versions of plays like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” set in various eras and styles. Director Tim Heywood has blended the traditional with a fresh new vision.

The set is minimal but works really well, I'll not say anything else because it's best seen to get the dull impact.

I loved the costumes with their rich colours, glamour and chicness.

The acoustics at The Guildhall are excellent and so you can hear every piece of background music, as well as all of Shakespeare's wonderful words. The lighting and effects only add to this classy production.

There's a lot of comedy, mainly provided by Stephano, the King's drunken butler, and Trinculo, Stephano's friend and the King's jester, who also likes a drink. Stephano, in this production, looks like a Shakespearean Freddie Mercury.

The cast. headed by Joe Heap as Prospero, are as entertaining as they are talented, and so you can be guaranteed a very entertaining production

“The Tempest” is at the Guildhall Theatre in Derby from Tuesday 6 March to Saturday 10 March 2018.