Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
There is an undeniable thrill in seeing Sir Kenneth Branagh stride across an RSC stage, commanding Shakespeare’s verse with an effortless authority. In Richard Eyre’s new production of The Tempest, Branagh’s Prospero is the undeniable anchor. His delivery of the text is magnificent to watch: clear, resonant, and deeply attuned to the melancholic rhythms of a man preparing for his swansong. When Branagh speaks, the theatre holds its breath.
 |
| Kenneth Branagh as Prospero. Photo by Johan Persson. |
Branagh returns to the company after some 30 years, and returning as Prospero seems fitting at this stage of his outstanding career. As Prospero, he begins the play by walking onto the stage and picking up his magic wand, and he begins to conduct the storm. Branagh's Prospero acts as a conductor of the action and the musical score throughout; he is at the centre of all that happens. The blue cloak is akin to a magician you'd possibly see at a kids' party, but it works. Branagh commands the stage throughout.
For all the heavyweight talent at its centre, this production feels curiously caught between the past and the future, resulting in an evening that is visually spectacular but emotionally subdued.
Once the spectacular sea storm subsides and the castaways are hurled onto the island, the production's momentum begins to stall. Eyre’s direction is clean and respectful, but it occasionally lacks a distinct, contemporary urgency. The political machinations of the usurping brother and the comic relief of the drunken sailors feel strictly by-the-numbers. The first act feels clunky, and whilst running at less than an hour, heavy dialogue scenes can feel slow. The second act does feel much tighter.
Where the production undeniably triumphs is in its aesthetic visual design. Bob Crowley's set design utilises the RSC stage with masterful precision, creating a stark, versatile canvas that evokes both the isolation of exile and the vastness of the sea. Hugh Vanstone's lighting shifts seamlessly from the fractured, eerie shadows of supernatural meddling to the warm, golden hues of reconciliation. Whilst the addition of projection and video designed by Akhila Krishnan further embellishes the fantastical elements of the play, transforming the stage into a swirling vortex during the opening storm and bathing the theatre in ethereal, dreamlike imagery as Prospero’s illusions take hold.
Amara Okereke delivers a superb performance as Ariel. She spends nearly the entire production suspended on wires, quite literally a flying spirit. What could have been a restrictive gimmick is instead a triumph of physical theatre and vocal control; Okereke sings and acts with an ethereal, athletic grace while flipping through the rafters, bringing a whimsical, bittersweet chemistry to her scenes with Branagh's Prospero.
 |
| Amara Okereke as Ariel. Photo by Johan Persson. |
The young romantic duo of Ruby Stokes as Miranda and Fred Woodley Evans as Ferdinand successfully ground the heart of the play. Stokes is a highly charismatic Miranda; spirited, credible, and touchingly wide-eyed during her famous brave new world realisation. Her playful, affectionate chemistry with Woodley Evans’s charmingly earnest Ferdinand injects a welcome dose of lightness into Prospero’s heavy-handed machinations.
Ashley Zhangazha subverts the traditional grotesque monster trope as Caliban. The character is not played as a deformed beast, but as an earnest, noble, and deeply wronged indigenous captive. He captures the tragic, bitter reality of a man living under occupation with real skill. Guy Henry’s drunken Stephano is wonderfully camp and hilariously chaotic. Henry is paired well with Keir Charles as Trinculo; their double-act provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that break up the dense dialogue.
Music is a key element in the production, and the score provided by composers Akintayo Akinbode and Stephen Warbeck gives the production a rich, multi-layered auditory pulse that ensures this island truly sings with enchanting vitality. Rather than feeling disparate, this blending of Warbeck’s traditional, swelling strings and Akinbode’s contemporary, percussion-heavy cues creates a fascinating, otherworldly duality—perfectly capturing both the ancient magic of the island and the timeless, emotional resonance of Shakespeare's final masterpiece.
In the end, this production of The Tempest remains a deeply captivating, if occasionally uneven, reminder of the power of the theatre. While the production’s fragmented subplots sometimes struggle to match the soaring highs of its central performance, it ultimately delivers a thoughtful reflection on art, freedom, and the grace of forgiveness. As Branagh steps forward to deliver the famous epilogue, asking the audience to release him with their applause, it is a request the theatre is all too happy to grant. Although you may find yourself wishing the production had conjured just a little more emotional thunder.
⭐⭐⭐
The Tempest plays at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon until Saturday 20th June 2026. All performances are sold out, but check https://www.rsc.org.uk/ for any returns.
 |
| Mark Meadows (Antonio), David Bark-Jones (Alonso), Amara Okereke (Ariel), Paul Jesson (Gonzalo) and Henry Pettigrew (Sebastian). Photo by Johan Persson. |
Post a Comment