Chicago Shakespeare conjures imaginative, enchanting 'Tempest'
Chicago Shakespeare Theater made magic at Thursday's opening of "The Tempest."
Literally.
Sleight-of-hand as well as larger illusions dominate this beguiling reinvention of William Shakespeare's tale of love and forgiveness, brilliantly conjured by adapters and co-directors Aaron Posner ("My Name is Asher Lev") and Teller, of the magic and comedy duo Penn & Teller.
And the magic isn't confined to tricks.
There's magic in the otherworldly soundscape, and in the songs by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. Arranged for mandolin, vibraphone, upright bass and guitar, they're rootsy, Americana-style tunes performed by a talented quartet made up of Ethan Deppe, Liz Filios, Jake Saleh and Bethany Thomas.
Their wry lyrics and haunting beauty complement perfectly the early 20th-century traveling tent show, where Posner and Teller have set this examination of betrayal and vengeance, contrition and reconciliation.
Daniel Conway's set has a kind of homespun whimsy, with seashell footlights surrounding a crude kind of stage (fitting for so self-consciously theatrical a play). Set against the skeleton of the ship, at the end of what appears to be a pier, Conway's stage within a stage is bathed in a warm glow courtesy of strands of vintage filament bulbs suspended overhead.
The magic extends to the performances as well, starting with Larry Yando's astutely crafted Prospero, the master conjurer who struggles to reconcile his devotion to his daughter with his all-consuming desire for revenge. Prospero is a contradiction, a man at war with himself. A devoted, indulgent father determined to preserve his daughter's innocence, he's also an angry, brutal man who tortures his servants. The ever-authentic Yando makes evident Prospero's flaws, but he also humanizes him and makes credible his transition from vengeful to forgiving.
It is no easy journey for Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan. He was wrongfully deposed by his brother who, 12 years earlier, ousted the budding necromancer and set him adrift with his young daughter.
They found sanctuary on a remote island inhabited by the sprite Ariel (the spectral Nate Dendy, a sleight-of-hand master) and the savage Caliban, played by dancer-actors Zach Eisenstat and Manelich Minniefee, in one of the most arresting performances you're likely to see onstage this season. Choreographed by Matt Kent, associate artistic director of the dance ensemble Pilobolus, their athletic, tandem performance is an impressive display of grace and strength.
Establishing himself as ruler, Prospero enslaves Ariel and Caliban, which is to be expected perhaps from a man whose dukedom's been stolen. Still, his oppression of indigenous people remains a troubling component of the play.
Perfecting his art, which is to say his magic, Prospero bides his time and plots his revenge. It comes in the form of a violent storm that wrecks the ship carrying his usurper brother Antonio (a placidly ruthless Lawrence Grimm), Alonso, King of Naples (John Lister) and Alonso's brother Sebastian (Michael Aaron Lindner). Also on board is the king's adviser, the honorable Gonzala (Barbara Robertson in a role typically played by a man).
Among the passengers washed overboard is Alonso's son, Prince Ferdinand (the wide-eyed, tousle-haired Luigi Sottile). Rescued by Ariel, Ferdinand encounters the comely teenager Miranda (a plucky Eva Louise Balistrieri), with whom he falls instantly in love.
While the desperate Alonso and the others search the island for Ferdinand. Alonso's perpetually inebriated musician Stephano (Ron E. Rains) and his fellow troubadour Trinculo (Adam Wesley Brown) encounter Caliban who - after sampling spirits - declares them gods and offers to be their servant.
Rains and Brown are deliciously silly in Posner and Teller's fleet, unfussy production. Purists concerned about magic tricks trumping Shakespeare's poetry, needn't worry. In this "Tempest" the word still reigns supreme.
“The Tempest”
★ ★ ★ ★
Location: Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, (312) 595-5600 or
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Running time: About two hours 25 minutes with intermission
Tickets: $48-$88
Parking: $13.20, with CST validation, at the Navy Pier garage
Rating: For most audiences