"The Tempest" at Round House Theatre

Round House Theatre production photo by Scott Suchman

 Seriously? I'm going to see The Tempest for the third time in a single year? Indeed. We saw it early this year at the Oakland Theatre Project (before I resumed blogging), and again this summer at Ashland. The OTP production was really interesting, and the Ashland one disappointing. But this promises to be something quite different, in part because I know the work of both co-director/adapters. Aaron Posner is a pretty well-known playwright (I quite enjoyed his adaptation of Chekhov's "The Seagull", called Stupid Fucking Bird) and director, and Teller is half of the brilliant magic act "Penn & Teller". So The Tempest with the prospect of real magic seems cool. Also got tipped off by a friend who saw this production earlier in Boston that it was amazing. So, one more Tempest!

The Play

Really, it's Shakespeare's The Tempest. Edited a bit, of course, but on the whole, it's a very standard text.

The Production

Fresh off the previous night's disappointment at STC, we were mildly concerned about this first foray into the Washington, DC, theater scene. The better-known theaters, such as Arena Stage and Wooly Mammoth, were either dark or doing holiday shows we didn't care to see. But this seemed pretty cool. And it didn't disappoint.

First, about 15 minutes before curtain, Ariel (Nate Dendy) comes on stage in pantomime and starts doing little magic tricks with cards, gradually involving some of the audience. That sets the stage nicely. And what a lovely set! Scenic Designer Daniel Conway and Lighting Designer Thom Weaver have made a beautiful, engaging set that works as both a magical stage and a remote desert island. It's really lovely.

Then the play sets in, and we mostly have a pretty standard (fancy) production of the play, but with little bits of stage magic thrown in. The card tricks seem a bit gratuitous, but I suppose they help with the atmosphere of magic. The other really unique touch is that Caliban is played by two actors (Hassiem Muhammad and Ryan Sellers) who are a single being, speaking in unison, and moving in a way that is both monstrous and elegant. It's like nothing I've encountered before. [Interestingly, the OTP production this year used three actors to portray Ariel, but all acted separately, unlike these two who were a single Caliban.]

Most satisfying, after our disappointment at Ashland, was that this production definitely has a point of view: Prospero (Eric Hissom) is clearly throughout trying to atone for his own past misbehavior. He is never seeking vengeance (much to the confusion of Antonio, played by Cody Nickell).

Bottom Line

It's brilliant. Not perfect, but a wonderful production of a very complex and difficult play. The production itself is beautiful, and the acting (and magic) is really solid, enhanced by the vision of the directors. Choreography by Pilobolus and music by Tom Waits rounds out the production.

This was definitely the antidote we needed for the previous night's disappointment. It's a terrific production of The Tempest by itself, but given its innovations, it's a real treat for those who already know and like the play and want to explore something a little different.

The best news is that this one has been extended, and now runs through January 29, 2023, so you can run out to Bethesda and see it! Highly recommended.