The Tempest

The Tempest [1] is a 1611 play by William Shakespeare (1564–1616) [2].

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Storm ("The Storm") by Tjaart Potgieter in 1988.

Performance history in South Africa

First performed in South Africa by *** in 18**.

Famous productions include **,

1923: three performances by the University Players at the Palladium Theatre, Johannesburg in 1923. (Incidental music was played by an ensemble of six which included Prof Percival Kirby, head of the Department of Music at Wits).

1938: Directed by Muriel Alexander for the Wits Dramatic Society in the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg.

1946: an all-"coloured" production was done in the City Hall, Cape Town, presented by a non-European cast, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht. Sponsored by the SA Association of Arts, with settings and costumes by John Dronsfield and Cecil Higgs. George Veldsman as Prospero, Cecil Wynne as Trinculo, William McLeod as Ariel, Catherine Pienaar as Miranda, George Cloete as Ferdinand, Edmund Davis as Gonzalo.

1956: Staged by The Johannesburg Reps directed by Leslie French, with John Boulter (Prospero), Fiona Nicholson (Miranda), David Crichton (Ariel), Ricky Arden (Caliban), Pearl Catlin (Iris), Eileen Hodge (Ceres), Betty Mackay (Juno), Nicholas Brent (Alonso), Victor Mackeson (Sebastian), Victor Lucas (Antonio), Leonard Graham (Ferdinand), Geoffrey Wearing (Gonzalo), George Sears (Trinculo), Simon Swindell (Stephano) and others.

19**; Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival production with David Crichton as Ariel (date unknown).

1968: PACOFS and the Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle in 1970, directed by Leslie French, featuring John Boulter as Prospero, the young Ralph Lawson as Ariel, Rina le Grange as Miranda and Neels Coetzee as Caliban.

1973: Presented by Cecilia Sonnenberg and René Ahrenson at Maynardville in January, directed by Leslie French starring Philip Birkinshaw as Prospero, David Oxley, John Fourie, Michael Fisher, Robert Davies, Don Maguire, Patrick Anderton, Jeff de Raedt, Pieter Geldenhuys, David Crichton, William Baird-Clark, Mary Dreyer, Alan Johns, Cynthia Coller, Jeanne Voigt and Michelle Voigt.

January 31 – February 16, 1974: The Port Elizabeth Shakespeare Festival presented The Tempest with David Crichton as Ariel at the Mannville Open-air Theatre.

The Players George Jonos (Alonso, King of Naples), Neil Graer (Sabastian, his brother), Bud Baylis (Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan), Christopher Mathew, (Antonio, his brother the usurping Duke of Milan), Brian Schult (Ferdinand, son of the King of Naples), Alfred Porter (Gonzalo, an honest old councillor), Themi Venturas (Adrian, a Lord), Michael Nunes (Fransisco, a Lord), Jeremy Baylis (Caliban, an inhabitant of the Island), Bruce Sanderson (Trinculo, a jester), Derek Scarr (Stephano, a drunken butler), Michael Assheton-Smith (Boatswain), Helen Wilkins (Miranda, daughter of Prospero), David Crichton (Ariel, an airy spirit), Kathleen Murrell, Joan Sneesby and Lindesay MacQueen (characters in the masque), Brigitte Johnson, Bernadette Johnson, Anne MacQueen, Cheryl Howell, Jill Sneesby, Carol Newman, Debbie Batzofin, Maureen Huber (Nymphs), Michael Assheton-Smith, Michael Nunes, Hercules Pitsiladis, Themi Venturas (Reapers and Lords).

1975: A Brickhill-Burke production starring Hugh Rouse and James Ryan as Ariel opened on 8 March 1975 at His Majesty's Theatre.

1975: Staged by PACT in the Alexander Theatre and in the Breytenbach Theatre, directed by Robert Mohr, with Patrick Magee (Prospero), Annelisa Weiland (Miranda), Michael Richard (Ariel), Richard Haines (Caliban), Hugh Rouse (Alonso), Bill Flynn (Sebastian), Paul Slabolepszy (Ferdinand), George Jackson (Antonio), Kenneth Hendel (Gonzalo), Errol Ross (Stephano), Denis Bettesworth (Trinculo), Albert Raphael (Boatswain), Elsabe Boonzaaier (Iris), Jarmila Tellinger (Ceres), Hildegard Endemann (Juno) and others. Decor ny Richard Cook and costumes by Christa Scholtz.

1982: CAPAB at Maynardville, directed by Ken Leach with Michael Atkinson as Prospero, James Borthwick as Caliban, John Whiteley, David Bateson, Anthony Drake, James Irwin, Bill Jervis, Ronald Wallace, George Jackson, Megan Kruskal, Mark Legward. Music, Johan Cloete, decor and costumes Penny Simpson, choreography Pamela Chrimes, lighting and production stage manager Brian Kennedy, stage manager Mavis Lilenstein. Opened 17 December 1982.

1989: Presented in Afrikaans by TRUK (Die Storm) at the Alexander Theatre in 1989 starring André-Jacques van der Merwe, Peter Se-Puma, **.

1992: A performance in the H.B. Thom Theatre directed by Mark Graham, starring Peter Lloyd, Jaco Agenbach, André van der Merwe, Chris Vorster and others.

1994: CAPAB Drama in association with Nedbank production at Maynardville. Directed by Roy Sargeant. Design by Keith Anderson. Lighting by Malcolm Hurrell. Music by Michael Tuffin. Specialised movement by Marlene Blom. Stage director: Patrick Curtis. Opened on 21 January, 1994 after its run at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre 12-15 January 1994. Cast: Ralph Lawson (Prospero), Jana van Niekerk (Miranda), Anthony Bishop (Antonio), Blaise Koch (Alonso), Dale Abrahams (Sebastian), Gavin Hood (Ferdinand), Jay Heale (Gonzalo), Steven Stead (Ariel/Ceres), Nkosinathi Gqotso (Caliban), Frank de Gouveia (Adrian), André Samuels (Francisco), Ivan Abrahams (Trinculo), Ronald France (Stephano), Morné Visser (Boatswain/Spirit), Xola Luse (Ship's Master/Spirit), Deirdre Wolhuter (Iris/Spirit), Zoliswa Kawe (Juno/Spirit), Craig Leo (Spirit) and James Baker-Duly (Spirit).

2007: A radically new Afrikaans production, based on the earlier translation by Tjaart Potgieter adapted by Zandra Bezuidenhout, was produced by Vleis, Rys, en Aartappels in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department, for the Oudtshoorn Festival (KKNK), directed by Marthinus Basson with Antoinette Kellerman as Prospero, Jana Cilliers as Ariel, Neels Coetzee as Gonzalo, Gerben Kamper as Caliban and Riaan Visman as Stephano.

2009: Baxter Theatre in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Directed by Janice Honeyman. Cast included Antony Sher as Prospero and John Kani as Caliban. Other cast members included Ivan Abrahams, Jeremy Crutchley, Nkosinathi Gaar, Alex Halligey, Atandwa Kani, Charlie Keegan, Elton Landrew, Thami Mbongo, Omphile Molusi, Lionel Newton, Nicholas Pauling, Chuma Sopotela, Royston Stoffels, Wayne van Rooyen, Tinarie van Wyk Loots. Design by Illka Louw. Lighting by Mannie Manim. Choreography by Christopher Kindo.

Sources

Bosman, 1928: pp.

South African Opinion, 3(3):22; Trek, 10(20):18, 1946.

Johannesburg Reps theatre programme, 1956.

The Tempest original Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival publicity poster/programme, 1974.

PACT theatre programme, 1975.

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988

H.B. Thom Theatre programme, April 1992.

Maynardville Theatre programme, December 1982; January 1994.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to T in Plays 2 Foreign Plays

Return to South_African_Theatre/Plays

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page