The Tempest at Shakespeare's Globe
I went to the first performance of The Tempest with Roger Allam as Propero and Colin Morgan as Ariel at Shakespeare's Globe in London on Tuesday. It was a-freaking-mazing.
It's up there with Frankenstein for me. Which you guys know says a lot. The acting was superb, from the entire cast. It was so funny that I almost cried laughing, my jaws hurt from smiling and grinning. It was brilliant all round and I wanna go again. Yay for the dvd coming out later!!!
Cut for fangirling, length and major spoilers! Only read if you're not going to be able to see it or don't mind spoilers about many details of the play.
[Cut for flailing, length and spoilers!]Before
I've been in love with Colin Morgan since the very start of Merlin 5 years ago and loved Roger Allam since I started listening to Cabin Pressure 2,5 years ago. All are BRILLIANT! (Only CB listeners will get that :p) So when I was thinking of going to London again and The Tempest was announced in the theatre that I loved, I desperately tried to find a way to go amidst health and money issues, and *hugs her grandma* I did and I’m so glad and delighted and happy about it, I can’t tell you guys :) After a slight health scare during the first night on our trip, after which I thought I’d have to go home and miss The Tempest D: , I actually managed to see it and it was glorious and amazing :D I have been unable to get the play and the performance out of my head. Not even Dench and Whishaw in Peter and Alice could change that.
I read The Tempest last week, before seeing it. I love seeing adaptations. I know many don’t, but I love to watch other people’s interpretations of things, and I can enjoy something even it’s not as I imagined it. So I’m always a book first girl. The Tempest is a good example of how many things were exactly as I had them in my head, but crucial things were different. In one case I loved their interpretation so much more than mine. I’ll get back to that later.
I’ve had to read several Shakespeare plays for uni. I have to say reading his plays are always so different from seeing it on stage. I remember the first time I saw a play on stage and everything just clicked. What seems strange on a page or boring, comes alive on stage and I suddenly saw the genius of Shakespeare. Since then I haven’t read many plays, but seen many. The Tempest might have been the first since uni. I loved it! It’s funny how after uni you start to appreciate things for yourself which before were ‘musts’. I also read it much faster than when I was still in uni. Fandom has really helped my English XD
Something that might have influenced my reading was that I knew certain actors, so I read it with them in mind, and I googled the others. Prospero for example felt like a grumpy Douglas (Allam’s role in Cabin Pressure). My favourite was by far Ariel. He’s a peculiar Shakespeare character. Not one of his regulars, so to speak, and I was looking forward to Colin bringing him to life an incredible amount. I got so much more excited for it after having read it, and I already was pretty ecstatic XD
A very short summary for those who don’t know the play: Prospero has been stranded on an island with his daughter Miranda for 15 years, with spirit Ariel and demon-like creature Caliban. He commands Ariel to cause a storm (the title’s Tempest) for a ship carrying several man who have wronged him in the past (being the reason he stranded on the island). These men end up on the island too, including the king, who thinks his son Ferdinand has drowned in the storm. However he hasn’t, but he has fallen in love with Miranda. After more characters, misunderstandings, magic and forgiveness, Prospero reunites with the men who wronged him, Ferdinand and Miranda get married and Ariel is freed. A happy ending. It’s beyond happy actually. Like I don’t know from Shakespeare XD
It’s very hard to compare the other Shakespeare plays I’ve read to this one, since I had to read most of those for uni. It’s always different reading a play for your own pleasure than when you have to for uni, so the fact that I seem to love this play a lot more than those, might not say a great deal.. I do feel like it’s up there with Othello and Midsummer Night’s Dream though, which I always felt were my favourites.
I went to the Globe before, in the summer of 2011 to see All’s Well That Ends Well. I was a groundling in the yard and standing to the side against the stage, so to be honest, I didn’t catch a whole lot of the play and just stood there looking up at the theatre and the actors ‘ legs (yes really XD). I always wanted to come back badly and be posh and sit in the stalls or galleries, and when I planned our trip and this play was announced that very week, obviously I had to book it. It’s Colin for heaven’s sake! Health-wise I’m also really rather glad we were sitting down. Don’t think I could have done the three hours standing, since I could hardly stand in a shop this week.
I don’t think it comes as a surprise that I focused a lot on Colin during the performance, though often others also caught my attention because it was an incredible play. I just love it so and I can’t move away from it. I keep thinking about it and to be perfectly honest, writing this down was hard. I know I won’t see it again live (in contrast to Frankenstein, which I knew NT Live was coming up for) and it’s also different to see a play live, in the theatre, than on a dvd, filmed by cameras, close up, while you know everything from far away. So writing this has been tough, because it sort of feels like moving on after I’m done, even though I know it’s stupid because there will be a dvd.
My apologies in advance for length, flailing and focus on Colin. I’m a fangirl after all.
During
I didn’t realise before it hit me during the performance when all was new and a surprise, how amazing it is to go to a play that nobody has seen yet. I had no idea what they would do with the text, what the stage design would look like, what props they’d use, etc. All was a surprise. And above all, having read the text and seeing how much Ariel is open to interpretation and how much you can go wild with that character: what Ariel would be like. I must admit I read the text with Colin in my head, and I had my own image of what he would look like, how he would talk and how he would speak and move. It’s always great when that image is superseded. Because it was. I googled past performances to see how others had interpreted it, but because he’s a spirit and when you’ve read the text, you can just tell it’s really up to interpretation. So having not a clue what he would be like, and assuming it would be special, different, the surprise was amazing. And it was. Ariel is literally announced and called out by Prospero, and I remember wanting to drag him on stage, it seemed to take forever till he did LOL And when he did, it didn’t disappoint: Colin came on doing a cartwheel and a roll. A CARTWHEEL AND A ROL!!! XD That was his entrance. A carthweel. And a roll. Whilst saying: “I am here Master!” Or something to that effect. So yes, he came on doing a cartwheel and a roll.. Can you guys imagine the state I was in? That being his entrance and looking like he did all clad in white and his hair smoothly backwards? I flailed you guys. Oh. My. God. I can still hear the buzz that went around (or perhaps even tiny screams) when he came on.
His entrance immediately said everything about the character and it worked so well. The physicality of the role was incredible. His speech pattern was also distinctive. I could tell you guys exactly how he spoke and the physical tic he had, but for some reason I think it will sound ridiculous and you need to see it for it to understand how perfect it was :D Thank the Globe for the already announced DVD! His clothing was also perfect. I interpreted it as angel wings on his entire body, since he didn't have actual wings. It's how it looked like to me anyway :) His Ariel was sweet, adorable, and very Elf-like in his movement. If he wasn’t doing a roll, he’d run off stage lightfootedly. I can’t describe it any differently: he was like an Elf, so light, fragile and strong at the same time. Being a spirit, that worked perfectly and I couldn’t but sit there with this enormous grin on my face, and all I wanted to do was flail XD
He also climbed the stage. When I say that I mean he climbed up to the balcony of the stage, without seemingly anything to hold onto. Again, buzz went around XD He also tarzanned around the stage. Hanging on one hand, just dangling from side to side, then actually swaying from one side to the next (skinny Colin must have some serious muscle work underneath all that! Must do! :O) and he kept walking around the columns on the stage, sat on invisible planks on the balcony (so it seemed anyway) and kept going on and off stage without speaking (his character has to listen to a lot of convos without interrupting). The only time I didn’t see him, was when he was perked behind a column. Luckily for us, he was mostly on our side, so I could see him be an acrobat all the time! Really impressive!
I have to say, I was so impressed with Colin! I 'only' know him from Merlin and Doctor Who, and to see him in this role, to completely transform, to clearly give himself completely to it, also physically, and to be so freaking good, was amazing! He really was so good. I already knew it from Merlin, but this really confirmed it once again that he is such a talented actor and I truly think he will go far. I can’t wait to follow him the upcoming years! I already was a pretty big fan (very rather really big - I mean he was part of the reason I went through with the London trip), but this only confirmed everything and just made it worse XD
Roger Allam (who I knew from Cabin Pressure, but he’s also in Game of Thrones (Illyrio) and the Thick of It, and lots of other things), was perfect as Prospero. Insanely perfect. He was, especially before the break, also very funny. He has a great comedic timing :D I also had an inkling he improvised some stuff, but maybe that came from the rehearsals XD (“Moody, are we Ariel?” XD)
I knew playing Miranda was Jessie Buckley’s first venture into acting, so, as I do.., I was hesitant about her. But oh, she was incredible! She was such a breath of fresh air and just oozed enthusiasm! Fantastic performance from her! Especially the fact that Miranda has never seen a woman in her life, and only two men (her father Prospero and the demon-like creature Caliban) made for a lot of laughter (“You are the most beautiful creature in the world!” “Now now Miranda, you only know me (Prospero) and Caliban..” XD She did marvellously!
Then Ferdinand. Oh Ferdinand. How I disliked you reading the text (usually the romantic leads in Shakespeare are rather *vomit motion*), but oh how wonderfully comedic Joshua James made you and how amazing that was :D James was an absolute joy to watch! What I read in a very arrogant manner, he delivered in a lovely and sweet way: “You are now mine!” I read in a very arrogant and possessive manner, but James delivered it in a: OMG she’s now mine I can’t believe that beautiful woman is now mine please let me squee!-manner. What a joy :D He also clearly loved doing it. He got so many laughs from the audience and you could see he loved it all, and he looked into the audience and made us laugh even louder. So cute :D
(I must admit that when I saw these photos appear online and I immediately went: Oh wow, they all look exactly as they did when I watched them! Usually you can see slight chances per performance. So when I found out these were exactly shot during their first performance was lovely! These photos are exactly from what we saw :D I flail very easily when it comes to these things, but I really thought that was amazing!)
I’d seen James Garnon before in the other play I saw at the Globe. He played the Fool (if I remember correct) marvellously and I was looking forward to his Caliban. He reminded me a great deal of the Creature (Frankenstein), but then a malevolent Creature (I know what you’re all thinking, but really, it’s all circumstance!). At first, I needed to adjust to that for obvious reasons, but especially when the two drunkards arrive (see pic below), I really started to love his character :D I missed a certain speech though about Canibal who tried to rape Miranda years before (something that disturbed me greatly in the text, so if they have taken it out, I'd be happy about it), but I might be mistaken. I hope not though, but sometimes my mind wandered to the surroundings. But Garnon did a magnificent job as Caliban! Brilliant!
These were really the most memorable roles, but I'm forgetting other important ones and to be honest, everyone was amazing! Really! The entire cast acted their socks off! I think it was widely accepted that not everyone in Frankenstein was good, but here, with such a big cast, everyone was fantastic!! :D I could just go on and on with praise :D
There weren’t really any moments where I got bored. Usually with Shakespeare there’s always a few moments where you just drift off, but aside from one scene that I already had trouble with understanding reading (with Sebastian and Alonso amongst others), I was completely into it all!
What I was particularly looking forward to - which tells you everything about my preferences.. - was the scene where Prospero confronts Ariel with his past. It is incredibly painful and it was horrid to watch. At that point it became clear his Ariel was the sweetest and most adorable spirit you will ever meet (figuratively speaking :p) and to hear the horror he had to go through was really gutwrenching, let alone the scream he let out D: Oh the goosebumps I had, bad ones :(
*hugs Ariel* I still can't really see this picture and not feel it in my gut :(
Ariel’s monologue towards Alonso and others was incredible. He was dressed in a ginormous eagle/bird-like costume, with enormous feet, claws, wings (moved by the spirit actors) and beak. When he came out, it seemed everyone stopped breathing. Woah. To be honest, I didn’t completely catch his speech (which I remember from the text to be very moving and scary at the same time), because I was just staring at the way he moved and the others moving his wings. Wow. Can’t wait to see that again.
He also sang quite often (as Ariel does in the text). COLIN SANG!!! Because Colin doesn’t have the best voice (though it was very cute and sweet, I can’t describe it any other way, perfect for Ariel), the other two spirits that would come on stage later, sang along for most of it. Only the last song he did on his own, which was Ariel describing his life after he’d be freed by Prospero. Tears, anyone? Yup.
I loved the scenes where the spirits scared the bad guys off the stage. They used hellhound skeletons (as I interpreted it) and the three spirits moved them around (like in The Lion King musical, for those who’ve seen that). It looked gorgeous! Didn’t know where to look :D
The two dances were adorable! The first one was in the play when Ferdinand and Miranda get together officially and Prospero approves (see picture above). Prospero doesn’t want the two to touch each other yet though, so there’s a very cute dance where P, M, F and Ariel dance, and P & A are trying their best to keep M & F apart, whilst those two do everything they can to get together. The audience got so into it and laughed so loud at it, that all of the actors started laughing too :D I love those moments, when the actor behind the character comes out and they show that they are having a good time too. Adorable from all four of them! :D
The second dance came at the very end. I believe it’s a custom drawn from Shakespeare times (maybe even from the original Globe?). They did the same dance with All’s Well That Ends Well I think. The entire cast dances it. Of course we all clapped along (ouch hands). At the end though, Colin completely messed up! As in, completely XD But he got really into messing it up and just did it on his own XD His own smile was adorable though, Colin really coming out and taking charge of the situation XD Excuse me while I have a slight moment *happy sigh*
Then they came back for the applause quite a few times, the crowd went wild (though nobody stood up *sighs wearily at UK theatre public, particularly when they did stand up for Peter and Alice which didn't enthrall us as much*), they laughed, it was all very cute to watch and then they ran off stage and it was over *sad sigh*
After
We went to the stagedoor afterwards, but a woman came out to tell us Colin had “gone home”. Gone home my ass XD I’m pretty sure he was having a drink with the rest of the cast in the bar next door XD It was pretty busy there when we walked past back to the tube XD It was alright though. On the one hand I’d have loved to have told him how incredible he was, but let’s be honest, I don’t do talking to celebs very well and it’s always slightly awkward, even more so when they’re your age and you ask for their autograph.. So it’s all good.
I must say I’m surprised I’m having this reaction to the play and to Ariel. On the one hand I was expecting it because Colin, but it wasn’t a play (text-wise) that had a big impact on me or anything. I did LOVE reading it though, especially since it was so happy and magical, but this reaction? No, I didn’t expect that. To be up there with Frankenstein? Nope. But I can’t get it out of my head! And I’ve tried, because it’s making me sad I won’t get to see it again. The only explanation I have is that they were all so good. So good! Thank god for the DVD coming out. I wish I had money to try win the lottery for hotel and plane, since tickets are cheap, but alas.. So: DVD COME AT ME!!!
It's up there with Frankenstein for me. Which you guys know says a lot. The acting was superb, from the entire cast. It was so funny that I almost cried laughing, my jaws hurt from smiling and grinning. It was brilliant all round and I wanna go again. Yay for the dvd coming out later!!!
Cut for fangirling, length and major spoilers! Only read if you're not going to be able to see it or don't mind spoilers about many details of the play.
[Cut for flailing, length and spoilers!]Before
I've been in love with Colin Morgan since the very start of Merlin 5 years ago and loved Roger Allam since I started listening to Cabin Pressure 2,5 years ago. All are BRILLIANT! (Only CB listeners will get that :p) So when I was thinking of going to London again and The Tempest was announced in the theatre that I loved, I desperately tried to find a way to go amidst health and money issues, and *hugs her grandma* I did and I’m so glad and delighted and happy about it, I can’t tell you guys :) After a slight health scare during the first night on our trip, after which I thought I’d have to go home and miss The Tempest D: , I actually managed to see it and it was glorious and amazing :D I have been unable to get the play and the performance out of my head. Not even Dench and Whishaw in Peter and Alice could change that.
I read The Tempest last week, before seeing it. I love seeing adaptations. I know many don’t, but I love to watch other people’s interpretations of things, and I can enjoy something even it’s not as I imagined it. So I’m always a book first girl. The Tempest is a good example of how many things were exactly as I had them in my head, but crucial things were different. In one case I loved their interpretation so much more than mine. I’ll get back to that later.
I’ve had to read several Shakespeare plays for uni. I have to say reading his plays are always so different from seeing it on stage. I remember the first time I saw a play on stage and everything just clicked. What seems strange on a page or boring, comes alive on stage and I suddenly saw the genius of Shakespeare. Since then I haven’t read many plays, but seen many. The Tempest might have been the first since uni. I loved it! It’s funny how after uni you start to appreciate things for yourself which before were ‘musts’. I also read it much faster than when I was still in uni. Fandom has really helped my English XD
Something that might have influenced my reading was that I knew certain actors, so I read it with them in mind, and I googled the others. Prospero for example felt like a grumpy Douglas (Allam’s role in Cabin Pressure). My favourite was by far Ariel. He’s a peculiar Shakespeare character. Not one of his regulars, so to speak, and I was looking forward to Colin bringing him to life an incredible amount. I got so much more excited for it after having read it, and I already was pretty ecstatic XD
A very short summary for those who don’t know the play: Prospero has been stranded on an island with his daughter Miranda for 15 years, with spirit Ariel and demon-like creature Caliban. He commands Ariel to cause a storm (the title’s Tempest) for a ship carrying several man who have wronged him in the past (being the reason he stranded on the island). These men end up on the island too, including the king, who thinks his son Ferdinand has drowned in the storm. However he hasn’t, but he has fallen in love with Miranda. After more characters, misunderstandings, magic and forgiveness, Prospero reunites with the men who wronged him, Ferdinand and Miranda get married and Ariel is freed. A happy ending. It’s beyond happy actually. Like I don’t know from Shakespeare XD
It’s very hard to compare the other Shakespeare plays I’ve read to this one, since I had to read most of those for uni. It’s always different reading a play for your own pleasure than when you have to for uni, so the fact that I seem to love this play a lot more than those, might not say a great deal.. I do feel like it’s up there with Othello and Midsummer Night’s Dream though, which I always felt were my favourites.
I went to the Globe before, in the summer of 2011 to see All’s Well That Ends Well. I was a groundling in the yard and standing to the side against the stage, so to be honest, I didn’t catch a whole lot of the play and just stood there looking up at the theatre and the actors ‘ legs (yes really XD). I always wanted to come back badly and be posh and sit in the stalls or galleries, and when I planned our trip and this play was announced that very week, obviously I had to book it. It’s Colin for heaven’s sake! Health-wise I’m also really rather glad we were sitting down. Don’t think I could have done the three hours standing, since I could hardly stand in a shop this week.
I don’t think it comes as a surprise that I focused a lot on Colin during the performance, though often others also caught my attention because it was an incredible play. I just love it so and I can’t move away from it. I keep thinking about it and to be perfectly honest, writing this down was hard. I know I won’t see it again live (in contrast to Frankenstein, which I knew NT Live was coming up for) and it’s also different to see a play live, in the theatre, than on a dvd, filmed by cameras, close up, while you know everything from far away. So writing this has been tough, because it sort of feels like moving on after I’m done, even though I know it’s stupid because there will be a dvd.
My apologies in advance for length, flailing and focus on Colin. I’m a fangirl after all.
During
I didn’t realise before it hit me during the performance when all was new and a surprise, how amazing it is to go to a play that nobody has seen yet. I had no idea what they would do with the text, what the stage design would look like, what props they’d use, etc. All was a surprise. And above all, having read the text and seeing how much Ariel is open to interpretation and how much you can go wild with that character: what Ariel would be like. I must admit I read the text with Colin in my head, and I had my own image of what he would look like, how he would talk and how he would speak and move. It’s always great when that image is superseded. Because it was. I googled past performances to see how others had interpreted it, but because he’s a spirit and when you’ve read the text, you can just tell it’s really up to interpretation. So having not a clue what he would be like, and assuming it would be special, different, the surprise was amazing. And it was. Ariel is literally announced and called out by Prospero, and I remember wanting to drag him on stage, it seemed to take forever till he did LOL And when he did, it didn’t disappoint: Colin came on doing a cartwheel and a roll. A CARTWHEEL AND A ROL!!! XD That was his entrance. A carthweel. And a roll. Whilst saying: “I am here Master!” Or something to that effect. So yes, he came on doing a cartwheel and a roll.. Can you guys imagine the state I was in? That being his entrance and looking like he did all clad in white and his hair smoothly backwards? I flailed you guys. Oh. My. God. I can still hear the buzz that went around (or perhaps even tiny screams) when he came on.
His entrance immediately said everything about the character and it worked so well. The physicality of the role was incredible. His speech pattern was also distinctive. I could tell you guys exactly how he spoke and the physical tic he had, but for some reason I think it will sound ridiculous and you need to see it for it to understand how perfect it was :D Thank the Globe for the already announced DVD! His clothing was also perfect. I interpreted it as angel wings on his entire body, since he didn't have actual wings. It's how it looked like to me anyway :) His Ariel was sweet, adorable, and very Elf-like in his movement. If he wasn’t doing a roll, he’d run off stage lightfootedly. I can’t describe it any differently: he was like an Elf, so light, fragile and strong at the same time. Being a spirit, that worked perfectly and I couldn’t but sit there with this enormous grin on my face, and all I wanted to do was flail XD
He also climbed the stage. When I say that I mean he climbed up to the balcony of the stage, without seemingly anything to hold onto. Again, buzz went around XD He also tarzanned around the stage. Hanging on one hand, just dangling from side to side, then actually swaying from one side to the next (skinny Colin must have some serious muscle work underneath all that! Must do! :O) and he kept walking around the columns on the stage, sat on invisible planks on the balcony (so it seemed anyway) and kept going on and off stage without speaking (his character has to listen to a lot of convos without interrupting). The only time I didn’t see him, was when he was perked behind a column. Luckily for us, he was mostly on our side, so I could see him be an acrobat all the time! Really impressive!
I have to say, I was so impressed with Colin! I 'only' know him from Merlin and Doctor Who, and to see him in this role, to completely transform, to clearly give himself completely to it, also physically, and to be so freaking good, was amazing! He really was so good. I already knew it from Merlin, but this really confirmed it once again that he is such a talented actor and I truly think he will go far. I can’t wait to follow him the upcoming years! I already was a pretty big fan (very rather really big - I mean he was part of the reason I went through with the London trip), but this only confirmed everything and just made it worse XD
Roger Allam (who I knew from Cabin Pressure, but he’s also in Game of Thrones (Illyrio) and the Thick of It, and lots of other things), was perfect as Prospero. Insanely perfect. He was, especially before the break, also very funny. He has a great comedic timing :D I also had an inkling he improvised some stuff, but maybe that came from the rehearsals XD (“Moody, are we Ariel?” XD)
I knew playing Miranda was Jessie Buckley’s first venture into acting, so, as I do.., I was hesitant about her. But oh, she was incredible! She was such a breath of fresh air and just oozed enthusiasm! Fantastic performance from her! Especially the fact that Miranda has never seen a woman in her life, and only two men (her father Prospero and the demon-like creature Caliban) made for a lot of laughter (“You are the most beautiful creature in the world!” “Now now Miranda, you only know me (Prospero) and Caliban..” XD She did marvellously!
Then Ferdinand. Oh Ferdinand. How I disliked you reading the text (usually the romantic leads in Shakespeare are rather *vomit motion*), but oh how wonderfully comedic Joshua James made you and how amazing that was :D James was an absolute joy to watch! What I read in a very arrogant manner, he delivered in a lovely and sweet way: “You are now mine!” I read in a very arrogant and possessive manner, but James delivered it in a: OMG she’s now mine I can’t believe that beautiful woman is now mine please let me squee!-manner. What a joy :D He also clearly loved doing it. He got so many laughs from the audience and you could see he loved it all, and he looked into the audience and made us laugh even louder. So cute :D
(I must admit that when I saw these photos appear online and I immediately went: Oh wow, they all look exactly as they did when I watched them! Usually you can see slight chances per performance. So when I found out these were exactly shot during their first performance was lovely! These photos are exactly from what we saw :D I flail very easily when it comes to these things, but I really thought that was amazing!)
I’d seen James Garnon before in the other play I saw at the Globe. He played the Fool (if I remember correct) marvellously and I was looking forward to his Caliban. He reminded me a great deal of the Creature (Frankenstein), but then a malevolent Creature (I know what you’re all thinking, but really, it’s all circumstance!). At first, I needed to adjust to that for obvious reasons, but especially when the two drunkards arrive (see pic below), I really started to love his character :D I missed a certain speech though about Canibal who tried to rape Miranda years before (something that disturbed me greatly in the text, so if they have taken it out, I'd be happy about it), but I might be mistaken. I hope not though, but sometimes my mind wandered to the surroundings. But Garnon did a magnificent job as Caliban! Brilliant!
These were really the most memorable roles, but I'm forgetting other important ones and to be honest, everyone was amazing! Really! The entire cast acted their socks off! I think it was widely accepted that not everyone in Frankenstein was good, but here, with such a big cast, everyone was fantastic!! :D I could just go on and on with praise :D
There weren’t really any moments where I got bored. Usually with Shakespeare there’s always a few moments where you just drift off, but aside from one scene that I already had trouble with understanding reading (with Sebastian and Alonso amongst others), I was completely into it all!
What I was particularly looking forward to - which tells you everything about my preferences.. - was the scene where Prospero confronts Ariel with his past. It is incredibly painful and it was horrid to watch. At that point it became clear his Ariel was the sweetest and most adorable spirit you will ever meet (figuratively speaking :p) and to hear the horror he had to go through was really gutwrenching, let alone the scream he let out D: Oh the goosebumps I had, bad ones :(
*hugs Ariel* I still can't really see this picture and not feel it in my gut :(
Ariel’s monologue towards Alonso and others was incredible. He was dressed in a ginormous eagle/bird-like costume, with enormous feet, claws, wings (moved by the spirit actors) and beak. When he came out, it seemed everyone stopped breathing. Woah. To be honest, I didn’t completely catch his speech (which I remember from the text to be very moving and scary at the same time), because I was just staring at the way he moved and the others moving his wings. Wow. Can’t wait to see that again.
He also sang quite often (as Ariel does in the text). COLIN SANG!!! Because Colin doesn’t have the best voice (though it was very cute and sweet, I can’t describe it any other way, perfect for Ariel), the other two spirits that would come on stage later, sang along for most of it. Only the last song he did on his own, which was Ariel describing his life after he’d be freed by Prospero. Tears, anyone? Yup.
I loved the scenes where the spirits scared the bad guys off the stage. They used hellhound skeletons (as I interpreted it) and the three spirits moved them around (like in The Lion King musical, for those who’ve seen that). It looked gorgeous! Didn’t know where to look :D
The two dances were adorable! The first one was in the play when Ferdinand and Miranda get together officially and Prospero approves (see picture above). Prospero doesn’t want the two to touch each other yet though, so there’s a very cute dance where P, M, F and Ariel dance, and P & A are trying their best to keep M & F apart, whilst those two do everything they can to get together. The audience got so into it and laughed so loud at it, that all of the actors started laughing too :D I love those moments, when the actor behind the character comes out and they show that they are having a good time too. Adorable from all four of them! :D
The second dance came at the very end. I believe it’s a custom drawn from Shakespeare times (maybe even from the original Globe?). They did the same dance with All’s Well That Ends Well I think. The entire cast dances it. Of course we all clapped along (ouch hands). At the end though, Colin completely messed up! As in, completely XD But he got really into messing it up and just did it on his own XD His own smile was adorable though, Colin really coming out and taking charge of the situation XD Excuse me while I have a slight moment *happy sigh*
Then they came back for the applause quite a few times, the crowd went wild (though nobody stood up *sighs wearily at UK theatre public, particularly when they did stand up for Peter and Alice which didn't enthrall us as much*), they laughed, it was all very cute to watch and then they ran off stage and it was over *sad sigh*
After
We went to the stagedoor afterwards, but a woman came out to tell us Colin had “gone home”. Gone home my ass XD I’m pretty sure he was having a drink with the rest of the cast in the bar next door XD It was pretty busy there when we walked past back to the tube XD It was alright though. On the one hand I’d have loved to have told him how incredible he was, but let’s be honest, I don’t do talking to celebs very well and it’s always slightly awkward, even more so when they’re your age and you ask for their autograph.. So it’s all good.
I must say I’m surprised I’m having this reaction to the play and to Ariel. On the one hand I was expecting it because Colin, but it wasn’t a play (text-wise) that had a big impact on me or anything. I did LOVE reading it though, especially since it was so happy and magical, but this reaction? No, I didn’t expect that. To be up there with Frankenstein? Nope. But I can’t get it out of my head! And I’ve tried, because it’s making me sad I won’t get to see it again. The only explanation I have is that they were all so good. So good! Thank god for the DVD coming out. I wish I had money to try win the lottery for hotel and plane, since tickets are cheap, but alas.. So: DVD COME AT ME!!!