Thursday 4th until Saturday 6th March 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol

Firebird Theatre have done something unique; they have created a Tempest that is almost unrecognisable. Gone are the bold flourishes of soliloquy and eloquent declamations of human angst and power that one expects from Shakespeare’s play, in fact, Shakespeare has little place in this production. His themes of human suffering, love and the wielding of power against those ostracised by a judgemental society however, are present in full strength.

Director John Nicholson has achieved the considerable task of uniting a company of disabled actors into a coherent and successful piece of theatre. The cast portray the struggle to find both a freedom and their own voice that Caliban, Prospero and Miranda experience using a mixture of movement, moments of dialogue and plenty of sensual appeal. The prejudices against humans whose bodies frustrate their active brains are exposed as meaningless, as these talented people wield hefty props and a heftier (though simplified) plot around the small stage of the Old Vic’s lower theatre.

The play makes for discomforting viewing; it is impossible to compare the production to a conventional performance of Shakespeare simply because we are asked to see weakness as a strength. The power to move the audience by the sheer tragedy and determination of the ‘islands’ that are disadvantaged human lives is its most important effect. Simple verbal and logistical mistakes are touching in the context, as is the clumsy but genuine love between the protagonists. The use of the entire disabled company to portray Ariel gave a wonderful sense of empowerment and freedom to those in society who are least likely to feel empowered or free, and for this and the depiction of a very strong-mannered Prospero, Nicholson should be commended.

Sarah Moody follows her exceptional musical work with Kneehigh and The Devils Violin with a more subdued and rather too innocuous musical accompaniment to the on-stage action. Its simplicity sometimes a little patronising towards the capabilities of the cast, but draws the audience’s attention towards the sounds of the sea being played over stage speakers and to the excerpts of dialogue on strength. Bizarrely however, these details always came second to the audience’s realisation that the actors were enjoying their activity with some pride; this was not a production to judge but by which to be amazed at every moment.

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Katy Austin