Podcast 164: The Tempest — Conclusion: Concept, Cast, and Wrap-up

[archive]

This week’s podcast concludes our prolonged discussion of The Tempest. We have a directorial concept and cast, a look at THE speech, and a conclusion.

Continue reading “Podcast 164: The Tempest — Conclusion: Concept, Cast, and Wrap-up”

Our revels are now ended…

OK, it’s one of my favorites speeches, pretty much from the entire Canon, let alone The Tempest. But you’ve probably been noticing, I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.

It’s THE speech:

Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
  • I.ii.147-58

Continue reading “Our revels are now ended…”

A question of genre

Ah, these last four plays: The Romances (or Tragi-Comedies)…Pericles, The Winter’s Tale, Cymbeline, and The Tempest (and if you’re wondering about that order, check out this posting from our discussion of the last play). How does The Tempest fit this?

Continue reading “A question of genre”

Podcast 163: The Tempest — Ariel, the Epilogue, and a Bit o’ the Bawdy [EXPLICIT]

[archive]

[WARNING: The the first portion of the following podcast contains adult language, sexual imagery, and stuff to make you say, “Man, that’s kinda a dirty play…but only sorta” You HAVE been warned. SKIP TO THE 5:20 MARK IF  EASILY OFFENDED.]

This week’s podcast continues our prolonged discussion of The Tempest. We have some (a lil’ bit o’) bawdy, a discussion of Ariel, and a look at that final speech.

Continue reading “Podcast 163: The Tempest — Ariel, the Epilogue, and a Bit o’ the Bawdy [EXPLICIT]”

Production Questions

A couple of weeks back, I wrote about the character of Ariel and pondered how one would present the character on stage in a production of The Tempest. And as we begin to move toward the end of our time on the island (and our final podcast discussion of the play, which usually includes a directorial concept), I’m wondering about some of the other elements of stagecraft needed for the play.

Continue reading “Production Questions”

Humanity

I’m beginning the wrap-up process for The Tempest, but as I do, I’m grappling with an issue of not a little import: just what is this play about? (and please, no snarky response like “It’s about two hours long”…because that’s a better response for Romeo and Juliet). I mentioned yesterday about what I (and a reader of the blog) felt was a turning point in the play, the Act Five exchange between Ariel and Prospero, in which–it seems–Prospero changes his mind, his goal of vengeance, and turns to forgiveness and mercy.

Continue reading “Humanity”

The sprite-ly voice of conscience?

In The Tempest, given Prospero’s backstory, his desire for revenge and his plans to achieve it are clear and clearly understandable. So what changes to allow for the kumbaya hug-out that is the ending? I think the key is in the early moments of Act Five. In my head, I keep coming back to this moment. And seems I’m not alone, as reader “Pongo Literatii” commented a few days back for the blog entry Friday (non)Film Focus: a question of postcolonialism:

Continue reading “The sprite-ly voice of conscience?”