Tempest - Summary

The Tempest
Cast
Prospero ..............................Bob Peck Miranda...............................Jennifer Ehle Ariel.....................................Adrian Lester Antonio................................Simon Russell Beale Ferdinand ...........................Jamie Glover Caliban................................Richard McCabe Trinculo...............................Desmond Barrit Alonso .................................Jack Klaff Gonzalo ...............................Christian Rodska Sebastian .............................Chook Sibtain Stephano .............................Arthur Cox Boatswain............................Nicholas Murchie Ceres....................................San Radinger Iris .......................................Adjoa Andoh Juno ....................................Abigail Docherty Francisco ............................Robert Whitelock Other parts played by members of the cast
Play description
ACT I Scene 1. A violent storm is lashing the ship on which Alonso, King of Naples, is returning home from his daughters wedding in Tunis. Travelling with Alonso are his brother Sebastian, his son Ferdinand, Antonio, Duke of Milan, and other nobles including Gonzalo, a kind-hearted old courtier. The ship begins to break up and all on board fear they will be drowned. Scene 2. Prospero and Miranda, father and daughter, watch the storm from the shore of their island home. Miranda is touched with pity for the voyagers, but Prospero assures her that thanks to his magic Art, they will come to no harm. He then recounts how they came to the island twelve years previously: Prospero was Duke of Milan, but had become increasingly absorbed in his occult studies, leaving matters of state to his brother Antonio. Antonio plotted with Alonso to take power, subjecting Milan to the authority of Naples in return for being named Duke himself. Prospero and Miranda were taken to sea in a rotten boat and set adrift. The two did not drown as Antonio intended, however, but were brought by providence divine to the island they have lived on ever since. Prospero then reveals that the ship they have been watching has brought his old enemies within his power. Prosperos spirit servant Ariel reports that he has brought Alonsos ship safely into harbor. When Ariel reminds his master that he has promised him his liberty, Prospero replies that he must wait a while longer. The brutish Caliban now enters, cursing. The son of a witch, Caliban had been born on the island and had lived there in happy solitude until Prospero arrived and enslaved him. Ariel makes himself invisible and, playing enchanted music, leads Alonsos son Ferdinand towards Prospero and Miranda. The melody reminds the young man of his father, whom he believes drowned. Miranda and Ferdinand fall instantly in love and Prospero remarks, aside, that all is going according to plan. However, he pretends anger, accusing Ferdinand of treachery and restraining him with a spell. ACT II Scene 1. The King and courtiers have landed in another part of the island. Alonso is convinced that Ferdinand has drowned and is also grieving the loss of his daughter in marriage to a distant king. Sebastian says that the disaster is of his own making since Alonso refused to marry his daughter in Europe, but Gonzalo scolds him for his unkindness. Mysteriously, all the courtiers except Antonio and Sebastian fall asleep. Antonio persuades Sebastian to kill Alonso and thus make himself ruler of Naples. They are on the point of murdering the sleeping king, when Ariel awakens Gonzalo and the others. Scene 2. Caliban curses Prospero as he gathers wood. Trinculo, a foolish jester, appears and Caliban tries to hide on the ground. Hearing the storm whipping up again, Trinculo crawls under Calibans
cloak. The next to arrive is Stephano, a drunken butler; he has salvaged some wine from the wreck and shares it with Caliban, who declares Thats a brave god and bears celestial liquor./I will kneel to him. ACT III Scene 1. To test Ferdinands good intentions, Prospero gives him the ignominious task of stacking logs. Despite his exhaustion, the prince embraces the work gladly for love of Miranda. Prospero watches the young couple with secret pleasure as they express their mutual attachment. Scene 2. Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban plot to kill Prospero and crown Stephano king of the island. Scene 3. As Alonso and his followers trudge on, Antonio and Sebastian continue to plan their assassination. Prospero orchestrates the appearance of several supernatural beings who invite the nobles to partake of a banquet. When their hunger overcomes their fear they step forward to eat, but at that moment the feast vanishes and Ariel appears in the form of a harpy. He reminds the three guilty men of their crime against Prospero and Miranda, telling Alonso that the loss of Ferdinand is the punishment for his part in this. ACT IV Scene 1. Prospero gives Miranda to Ferdinand. To celebrate the betrothal a masque is performed in which Ceres, Juno and Iris bless the young couple. In the midst of the celebration, however, Prospero remembers the foul conspiracy of Caliban and the others and abruptly ends the proceedings. Ariel then describes how he has lured the conspirators into a filthy pool and Prospero instructs him to hang out fine clothes to lure the miscreants. When Trinculo and Stephano arrive, wet through and stinking, they fall with delight upon the garments and will not listen to Caliban, who begs them desperately not to be diverted from their plans. It is too late, though, and a pack of spirits in the shape of hounds descends upon the plotters and drives them off. ACT V Scene 1. Ariel tells Prospero how he has imprisoned Alonso and his followers in a grove of trees. He believes that were his master to see their distress he would feel pity. Prospero is moved that Ariel, who is but air, is more capable of compassion than he is himself, and hearing of their repentance, he releases them. Once alone, Prospero abjures his magical arts. When Ariel returns with Alonso and the courtiers, Prospero appears and explains his presence on the island. Forgiving his enemies, he shows them his cell, where Ferdinand and Miranda are playing chess. The ships master and boatswain enter, reporting that the vessel has mysteriously become sound again and that all the sailors are back on board. Having ordered Ariel to release Caliban and his associates, Prospero invites the King and nobles into his cell. In the morning, he says, they will all return to Naples for the wedding of the young lovers, after which, he will go back as Duke to Milan. Finally, Prospero frees Ariel, consigning him to the elements.
Track list
Disc 1 Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4 Track 5 Act I Act I Act II Act II Act III Scene i Scene ii Scene i Scene ii Scene i Disk 2 Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4 Act III Act III Act IV Act V Scene ii Scene iii Scene i Scene i & Epilogue

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The Tempest

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