The Stage

National Theatre to host spectacular Tempest

Published Tuesday 3 April 2007 at 13:00 by Nuala Calvi

Exclusive: A giant ship, a Polynesian island and a raging storm of pyrotechnics and water effects will fill the National Theatre’s outdoor performance space as part of a street theatre version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest this summer.

The 40-minute adaptation, entitled Storm Bringer, also features music, dance and clowning and is one of four new commissions for the annual Watch This Space festival.

It is presented in the NT’s Theatre Square by acclaimed street theatre company Avanti Display, famous for their human fountain show The Spurting Man and water spectacular Hydromania, also previously performed in front of the National.

This year’s festival has a decidedly green slant, with Prospero cast as an environmental villain and another show, Bicycle Ballet, celebrating two-wheeled transport with a cast of 45 cycling performers.

Watch This Space programmer Caterina Loriggio explained: “There’s a strong environmental theme - a lot more measures are being taken in the offices of the NT like recycling and the performers are feeling it too and wanting to make shows about it. It’s an interesting way of looking at The Tempest this side of the millennium.”

Other commissions for the festival, which runs from July 6 to September 1, include the all-female acrobat trio Mimbre’s The Bridge, Jon Hicks’ The Duel and Periplum’s night-time show, The Bell.