'An Enchanting Experience' The Tempest by Braham Murray (SRT) 26th May 2015 @ Fort Canning P

The exiled duke Prospero along with his daughter Miranda were exiled on an island inhabited by spirits. The former duke, who is also a sorcerer, raises a tempest to bring his enemies, including his brother, who deposed him, to the island, where he can manipulate them with his magical powers. Strange things happen...

Now, the first scene captivated me in that Simon Robson’s performance as Prospero who just wanted to get back what he lost by sending a storm on his enemies is convincingly fitting of the character of the play...only that later on, all he does is to talk to Miranda (Julie Wee) and order the airy spirit Ariel (Ann Lek) to do his bidding

The relationship between Ferdinand, played by Timothy Wan, and Miranda somehow lacks some chemistry in there, though Prospero approves of their love. Meanwhile, the scenes featuring the bumbling duo of Shane Mardjuki and Daniel Jenkins as Trinculo a jester and Stephano the drunk butler respectively is hilarious, especially when they encounter Caliban (Ogundipe), the monstrous slave who resents Prospero for enslaving him.

The stage resembles a giant replica of a magic book with strange symbols, reinforcing the supernatural elements in the play.The special effects captivated the audience, especially the first scene when Prospero raises a storm to wash the nobles on his island.

Admittedly, the scenes that could surprise the audience, especially if there are children watching, are those moments when the actors dressed up as the spirits appear on the stage from the floor and of course, Ariel appearing as a harpy with a large wing span that scares off the castaways.

In short, “The Tempest”, is a captivating play of fantasy and comedy, with the message of forgiveness delivered near the end of the play. It truly is an enchanting experience, despite the hiccups present in it.