Dec 20, 20244 min read

Review: The Tempest (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)

Review by Daz Gale

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Unbelievably it's been 67 years since a Shakespeare play was last performed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with The Tempest playing there in 1957. Audiences don't have to wait any longer as Jamie Lloyd kicks off his Shakespeare season there with a production of... The Tempest fittingly enough. After a mixed response to Romeo & Juliet and with a Hollywood A-lister leading the production, would this be such stuff as dreams are made on?

Jamie Lloyd’s direction may have proven divisive amongst critics and theatregoers in the past, though I have always found it is better to make something that divides and provokes extreme reactions rather than go safe and make something that barely causes any reaction whatsoever. Personally, I found his Sunset Boulevard to be one of the best uses of direction I have ever witnessed, though I wasn’t quite as enamoured with his Romeo & Juliet. For this production of The Tempest, he has mixed it up a bit and the result is refreshing to say the least. Though still distinctively a Jamie Lloyd production, carrying his usual dark, moody and minimalistic style, there isn’t a video screen in sight here. Instead we are treated to a brilliant use of creativity, making full use of the looming Theatre Royal Drury Lane to create a visually exciting and magical Tempest.

Soutra Gilmour’s set design sticks to Lloyd’s aesthetic with the dark island Prospero finds herself on realised in glorious fashion, with a few surprises thrown in along the way. Jon Clark’s lighting changes at a moments notice, almost creating a few jump-scares throughout, while a gorgeous atmospheric sound provides the background to The Tempest with a subtle and immensely effective design from Ben and Max Ringham.

Movement direction from Fabian Aloise gives different styles to different characters with the sometimes clashing opposites brilliantly merging together and a particularly great attention to detail taken in the slow and gradual movement of the characters, Lloyd ties all of these elements together to create a production that brings something new to his brand while never feeling like deviating far from his own aesthetic.

Much was made about Sigourney Weaver making her West End debut in this production. As legendary an actress as they come, her film credits are enough to impress anyone. To see her treading the boards in London was the main reason I was personally so excited about this production. With that in mind, it is incredibly disappointing that her performance failed to deliver.

Weaver seemed to lack confidence on this press night performance, stumbling over her lines in the opening scene in a shaky start. While she recovered as the play progressed, she delivered the role of Prospero in such a monotone and unbothered way, it made it struggle to form any sort of connection to her and came across cold and unfeeling – perhaps this was deliberate either on her part or the direction, and would have felt more at home in some of Jamie Lloyd’s other productions, but it didn’t quite work on this occasion and came across completely the wrong way. There was a lack of charisma in her portrayal or any sort of thought as to how to convey the dialogue. Instead, it felt as if she was reciting the lines rather than acting. For an actress of her calibre, I never thought she would struggle with stage presence but, sadly, she was eclipsed by her co-stars, leaving her in the dark.

The unexpected vacuum created by its lead star gives opportunities for the rest of the cast to step up and make their presence felt, and they more than rise to the challenge. Jason Barnett and Mathew Horne form a terrific double act as Stephano and Trinculo, providing most of the comedic moments and bringing a sense of light relief as the story veers towards darker moments. Forbes Masson joins the pair in comedic moments in an overblown and exaggerated portrayal of Caliban. In a turn that feels different to anything else on the stage, it works in a weird way, with the annoying nature of the character never quite outstaying his welcome. Mara Huf and James Phoon have a captivating dynamic as their love story unfolds in their roles of Miranda and Ferdinand respectively.

As consistently good as the majority of this cast are, there is one standout performance by a mile and that belongs to Mason Alexander Park as Ariel. After the underwhelming start from Weaver, Park’s first appearance lights up the show and elevates the production massively. With an incredible and captivating stage presence, they thrill at every turn, showcasing versatility in their portrayal with anger and dominating forces giving way to vulnerability and a touch of tragedy. Park channels all of these conflicting qualities effortlessly in a physically demanding role. They also get to showcase their angelic singing voice with a few musical moments, further lifting the production and demonstrating their unlimited talents in a heavenly portrayal. There is much to enjoy about this production of The Tempest but Park’s performance is undoubtedly the best thing about it.

My reaction to The Tempest was far from I expected. The aspect I was most excited to see proved to be the most underwhelming of the production and the one weak link in the whole thing. While that is a disappointment in itself, it doesn’t detract from the overall success of Jamie Lloyd’s production here. With direction back to his best and some stunning staging, this is another bold, brilliant and dynamic watch from the Jamie Lloyd Company – with his production of Much Ado About Nothing following straight on from The Tempest at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the success of this leaves me excited to see what he’s going to do next.