The Tempest

The Royal Shakespeare Company collaborates with Intel along with actor Andy Serkis (Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films) and his Imaginarium Studios to produce a dazzling version of The Tempest that leans heavily on computer-generated special effects, which seems appropriate for Shakespeare's classic play about magic and the conjuring world. The key players—Prospero (Simon Russell Beale), a magician and deposed Duke of Milan, stranded on an island; his daughter Miranda (Jenny Rainsford); servant-spirit Ariel (Mark Quartley); lowly monster Caliban (Joe Dixon); and Miranda's suitor Ferdinand (Daniel Easton)—all shine in this tale of revenge and reconciliation (Rainsford is especially notable for her spunky, rebellious approach to Miranda, an interpretation that differs from traditional notions of the character as naïve). One can't help but be bowled over by the computer imagery that summons up the storm at the beginning of the play, with the actors hollering and swaying as their ship breaks apart, or Ariel shifting everywhere around the stage to suggest free-spirited movements, or the psychedelic visuals that accompany a scene with three nymphs toward the end. This level of CGI inventiveness might not work for most Shakespeare plays, but it is ideally suited here. A cutting-edge presentation that mixes digital wizardry with traditional thespian brilliance, extras include audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, an interview with Beale, and a cast gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)