Generally believed to have been William Shakespeare's final play, this is a typically excellent BBC production which is very well directed by John Gorrie, one of the corporation's best drama directors from the 1960s onwards. This is another Shakespearean play with which I was familiar only through reputation but I understand that it is a very faithful adaptation. While it is not on the same level as his absolute best work such as "Hamlet", "Macbeth" or "King Lear", it is a wonderfully told tale of sorcery, vaulting ambition, power and control.
Michael Hordern may not have been as good a Shakespearean actor as Laurence Olivier or John Gielgud but he is terrific as Prospero. Exiled to an island after being usurped as Duke of Milan by his treacherous younger brother Antonio, he is nevertheless not a terribly sympathetic character. He abuses his great power and is cruel and vindictive, threatening to return Ariel to the prison in which he found him when he reminds him of his promise to free him. He enslaves Caliban and Ferdinand and is very controlling towards his daughter Miranda. However, as the play progresses, he becomes a better man as he renounces magic - which was of course considered a great evil in Shakespeare's time - and forgives Antonio for his betrayal 12 years earlier. His final speech has often been interpreted as representing the Bard's farewell to the theatre.
Caliban is the most interesting character in the play after Prospero. At turns, he is both monstrous and pitiable. Warren Clarke is very good in the role. He serves as a very effective contrast to several other characters. For instance, in his first scene, it is mentioned that he attempted to rape Miranda, which is the antithesis of Ferdinand's sweet, pure love of her. He wants to gain control of the island in much the same way as Antonio seized the dukedom of Milan and Sebastian seeks to usurp his brother Alonso's throne. He is in many ways a dark reflection of Ariel, who is effectively played by David Dixon.
The gentle, innocent Miranda is under her father's thumb for much of the play and, in that sense, she is well matched by the equally passive Ferdinand. Pippa Guard and Christopher Guard play their respective roles very well but I wish that I had not known that they were cousins in real life before I watched this as it made their professions of love a little...weird. Then again, they were playing royalty so it was pretty appropriate that they were blood relatives. Derek Godfrey gives an excellent performance as Antonio, being at his best in his interplay with Alan Rowe as Sebastian. As Trinculo and Stephano, Andrew Sachs and Nigel Hawthorne are often hilarious in their dealings with each other and Caliban and provide another great contrast, in this instance to the scheming lords Antonio and Sebastian.
Overall, this is a first-rate production. It was made as part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series from 1978 to 1985, which will serve as my main source for many of his other plays, particularly the more infrequently adapted ones.
Michael Hordern may not have been as good a Shakespearean actor as Laurence Olivier or John Gielgud but he is terrific as Prospero. Exiled to an island after being usurped as Duke of Milan by his treacherous younger brother Antonio, he is nevertheless not a terribly sympathetic character. He abuses his great power and is cruel and vindictive, threatening to return Ariel to the prison in which he found him when he reminds him of his promise to free him. He enslaves Caliban and Ferdinand and is very controlling towards his daughter Miranda. However, as the play progresses, he becomes a better man as he renounces magic - which was of course considered a great evil in Shakespeare's time - and forgives Antonio for his betrayal 12 years earlier. His final speech has often been interpreted as representing the Bard's farewell to the theatre.
Caliban is the most interesting character in the play after Prospero. At turns, he is both monstrous and pitiable. Warren Clarke is very good in the role. He serves as a very effective contrast to several other characters. For instance, in his first scene, it is mentioned that he attempted to rape Miranda, which is the antithesis of Ferdinand's sweet, pure love of her. He wants to gain control of the island in much the same way as Antonio seized the dukedom of Milan and Sebastian seeks to usurp his brother Alonso's throne. He is in many ways a dark reflection of Ariel, who is effectively played by David Dixon.
The gentle, innocent Miranda is under her father's thumb for much of the play and, in that sense, she is well matched by the equally passive Ferdinand. Pippa Guard and Christopher Guard play their respective roles very well but I wish that I had not known that they were cousins in real life before I watched this as it made their professions of love a little...weird. Then again, they were playing royalty so it was pretty appropriate that they were blood relatives. Derek Godfrey gives an excellent performance as Antonio, being at his best in his interplay with Alan Rowe as Sebastian. As Trinculo and Stephano, Andrew Sachs and Nigel Hawthorne are often hilarious in their dealings with each other and Caliban and provide another great contrast, in this instance to the scheming lords Antonio and Sebastian.
Overall, this is a first-rate production. It was made as part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series from 1978 to 1985, which will serve as my main source for many of his other plays, particularly the more infrequently adapted ones.