The Tempest

Produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Baxter Theatre Centre

Directed by Janice Honeyman

with John Kani and Anthony Sher

Puppet design, construction and  choreography by Janni Younge

Set on a fictitious island off the coast of Africa, this production of The Tempest interpreted the text from a post-colonial perspective, reading into the role of Prospero and Caliban the power dynamics of oppression. The enchantment of the island is captured in the doings of the spirits and made concrete in the form of puppets, masks and props. Forces, spirits, the seemingly ‘inexplicable’ are carried in on the wind from all across the continent. In creating the piece we drew on images from animistic and ancestral traditions from various parts of Africa. In working with this eclectic African aesthetic we aimed to evoke the power of these traditions rather than illustrating any culturally specific rituals or objects.

The Gardian (UK) gave the production 5 stars and said of it: “…brilliant…combines racial politics with visual playfulness in a way that liberates this all-too-familiar play”