{"id":240331,"date":"2018-07-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-06T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/mayhem-and-marriage\/"},"modified":"2018-07-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-07-06T07:00:00","slug":"mayhem-and-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/mayhem-and-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayhem and marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por Jean Lowerison | Revisi\u00f3n de teatro<\/p>\n

Magic, mischief, mayhem and (promised) marriage are just some of the elements of Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cThe Tempest,\u201d playing through July 22 at The Old Globe\u2019s outdoor Festival Theatre.<\/p>\n

The script offers lots of leeway for stage business, opening with a storm at sea and a shipwreck and continuing with three subplots, a magician and several sprites of different appearance running around. Director Joe Dowling and his tech staff take good advantage of this.<\/p>\n

This \u201cTempest\u201d also offers a gender switch in eminent stage actress Kate Burton as the magician Prospera. Burton is a wonder to watch, with her fine delivery and command of the text. She is also an engaging presence in a part that is often played with an off-putting, angry attitude.<\/p>\n

\"Mayhem
The cast of The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, runs June 17 \u2013 July 22, 2018 at The Old Globe. (Foto por Jim Cox)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since \u201cThe Tempest\u201d is largely about theater, set designer Alexander Dodge has put a theater in the center of his dual-level stage, complete with seats and a revolving slanted stage. But because several other sites \u2014 such as Prospera\u2019s cell, an island and a shipwreck \u2014 are called for, he smartly leaves a good deal to the audience\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n

Prospera, the dethroned Duke of Milan, has spent the last 12 years stranded on an isolated island with her young daughter Miranda, after being deposed and left there to die by her ambitious brother Antonio and his friend Alonso, King of Naples. Fortunately, the elderly lord Gonzala made sure Prospera had provisions, including her prized books. She\u2019s been studying magic and has become quite proficient at it.<\/p>\n

Gonzala is another role written for a man. Here it\u2019s played very well and with exceptional compassion by Lizan Mitchell.<\/p>\n

The second subplot involves Prospero\u2019s brother Antonio and Alonso\u2019s brother Sebastian, who conspire to kill Alonso and Gonzalo so that Sebastian can become King of Naples. This requires more magic, this time by Ariel.<\/p>\n

The third subplot is the romance between Miranda and Alonso\u2019s son Ferdinand, whose dad thought he\u2019d died in the storm. When Prospera engineers and observes their first meeting, she\u2019s convinced the two are meant for each other.<\/p>\n

\"Mayhem
(l to r) Nora Carroll as Miranda and Kate Burton as Prospera in \u201cThe Tempest,\u201d by William
Shakespeare. (Foto por Jim Cox)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dowling has assembled a sterling cast, with nary a weak link. Sam Avishay and Nora Carroll are adorable as the young lovers Ferdinand and Miranda.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a Shakespeare play without fools; \u201cThe Tempest\u201d gives us drunken butler Stephano (Robert Dorfman) and jester Trinculo (Andrew Weems). A more amusing pair would be difficult to find.<\/p>\n

Ren\u00e9 Thornton Jr. and Daniel Ian Joeck are truly despicable as the villains Antonio and Sebastian. Alonso (Robert Foxworth), who was also in on the plot to unseat Prospera, at least has the decency to repent late in the play.<\/p>\n

Manoel Felciano is excellent as the saddest character, Prospera\u2019s deformed servant Caliban.<\/p>\n

Philippe Bowgen, who made his Globe debut last year as Picasso in \u201cPicasso at the Lapin Agile,\u201d makes a terrific \u2014 and amazingly agile \u2014 Ariel.<\/p>\n

After all the negativity of usurpation, storms and murder plots, the ending of \u201cThe Tempest\u201d is a bit of a surprise: After working the necessary magic, Prospera assembles all the parties \u2014 even the plotters \u2014 and forgives everyone for everything. \u201cThe rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be nice if we mere mortals took a leaf from her playbook?<\/p>\n

\u2014Jean Lowerison is a long-standing member of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle and can be reached at infodame@cox.net.<\/em><\/p>\n

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