From the moment we stepped into the theatre yesterday, I knew this was going to be something special. Shakespeare North Playhouse, built in the round, creates an atmosphere unlike any other. It’s already authentically Shakespearean if thats such a thing, intimate and dynamic. But draped with branches and a rather magical looking storm cloud, it was wonderfully alive.
The Cockpit theatre at Shaespeare North Playhouse is the kind of space where whispers carry, where every viewpoint is unique and from the benches, you feel as though the world of the play has wrapped itself around you. But I’ll confess, I went in to last night’s performance with a little hesitation.
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on”
I adore the venue (though the bench seating remains a test of core strength!) but I’ve never read The Tempest. It’s not one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays and I’d never seen it staged before. In fact, Mr P and I decided to google the plot on our way there, just to be sure we’d have a chance of following the storyline. As it turns out, we needn’t have worried.
The production, a collaboration with The Handle Bards, was utterly captivating from start to finish. A cast of just five brought this rich, strange story to life, with three of them juggling multiple roles – sometimes within the same scene – without missing a beat. Their skill, energy, and comic timing were breathtaking as were their accents. Of particular note was Ross Foley’s sincere Welsh lilt when depicting Caliban, in contrast with his comically clipped Queen’s English as the King of Naples.
Alongside Foley, Meredith Lewis’ pouting Essex drawl and Scott Brooks’ angelic folksy tones combine to create a wonderfully rich soundscape that felt both modern and inclusive. After all these stories belong to everyone and everyone was included in this performance that barely acknowledged a fourth wall. The Handle Bards quite literally had us laughing one minute and blinking back tears the next.
What struck me most was the range of emotion they created in such a compact performance. The physical comedy was joyous, full of playful, clever touches that had the audience (including, I might add, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh!) roaring with laughter. But the production also found the heart and humanity of the piece. With the gentleness of Ariel, the weary sorrow of Prospero and the bittersweet magic that lingers long after the final line.
As with much of Shakespeare’s work, I could see modern stories within the tale and recognise elements of myself in all of the characters. Once upon a time, I would have most connected with Princess Khumalo’s Miranda, who, in a single evening, grabbed more bottoms than I’ve managed in my entire 41 years! But these days, strangely, I found myself more at one with Lucy Green’s wonderfully realised Prospero: a middle-aged parent trying to heal old wounds and to keep magic alive, while navigating the changing seasons of life, as his daughter grows up, falls in love, and inevitably drifts away.
Beyond the performance itself, what makes Shakespeare North Playhouse truly extraordinary is its place in the community. Since opening, it has welcomed more than 350,000 visitors, and for around 25,000 of them, it was their very first time in a theatre. That’s an incredible achievement and proof that this beautiful space is not just a venue but a gateway to imagination and creativity. Over the coming weeks, dozens of schools will take their seats to experience The Tempest for themselves. I can only hope, and genuinely believe, that it will spark their curiosity as it has ours, igniting a lifelong passion for theatre and for the Bard himself.
“O brave new world, That has such people in’t!”
This is, without doubt, the best theatre I’ve seen in a long time. I know how much work and soul goes into every production, which is why I rarely write negative reviews. I’d rather say nothing at all than dampen someone’s creative spark. And truthfully, for almost a year, I have said very little and I have , I hate to say, fallen a little out of love with the stage. But this remarkable production has reignited my love of live theatre and reminded me exactly why I fell in love with it in the first place. Better still, I’ve learned that I can easily follow Shakespearen prose, when its delivered by such commanding performers as I saw last night. I’m genuinely grateful.
Shakespeare North’s Tempest is everything great theatre should be – funny, moving, beautifully crafted, and completely transportive. It’s a night of storytelling that sweeps you up, shakes you about, and leaves you both lighter and more thoughtful than when you arrived.
If you can get a ticket, don’t hesitate. Go. Let yourself be carried away by the magic.
Love Rachel ❤️
