Steppenwolf Theatre braves 'The Tempest'

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's first-ever Shakespeare production arrives with a bang- several impressively theatrical ones, actually. Lights flash, thunder-making devices crash and actors dash around on ladders, ramps and wires stretching out into the auditorium.

It's a more-than-appropriate opening for "The Tempest," Shakespeare's magic-filled drama that demands an imaginative approach for all its built-in spectacle amid the quieter moments of hatred dissipating into forgiveness. The shipwrecking storm at the top of "The Tempest" is only the beginning, and Steppenwolf proves itself a strong Shakespearean contender throughout.

When they aren't deploying their own special effects, director Tina Landau and her design team wisely create an environment that allows for audiences to use their own imagination to fill in the blanks. Takeshi Kata's spare monochromatic set is not only suggestive of the sails and rigging of a ship, but of a theater's backstage area.

But when called upon, Landau's design team can dazzle. The stage is frequently washed with Stephan Mazurek's video projections of waves and psychedelic colors, while Jane Cox's bold lighting is attuned to each shift in the characters' fear and delight.

Landau's modern-meets-timeless approach also extends to costume designer James Schuette's creations that find inspiration from disparate sources ranging from the fashion runway to the leather bar. Kids experiencing their first Shakespeare might also be shocked to hear samples of house and beatbox music blended into sound designer Josh Schmidt's aural mix of original and mashed-together effects.

Within this framework, Landau has constructed a welcoming playground for her actors to explore the Bard's revered text. And for the most part, the cast (featuring nine Steppenwolf Ensemble members) acquits itself quite well.

What's needed to ground any production of "The Tempest" is a strong Prospero, the deposed Milanese Duke with magical powers exiled on a remote island. Yet in the persona of Frank Galati, this Prospero lacks a certain forcefulness, especially for a man who has enslaved the magical island inhabitants to help him plot the downfall of his shipwrecked enemies.

Instead, Galati is more apt as an eccentric and sometimes stern scholar who cares for his adolescent daughter, Miranda (Alana Arenas, who brings an 'oh, wow!' wonderment to the role). Instead of licking his chops, Galati's Prospero approaches his revenge plans more like a scientist at a controlled experiment. It's a valid choice, but I would have liked more seething and resentment early on.

Much more memorable turns come in supporting roles, particularly Jon Michael Hill's physically dynamic spirit Ariel and K. Todd Freeman's embittered and heavily scarred creature Caliban.

Dressed in football pads and spandex, Hill makes a very modern Ariel who chafes at his servitude while masterfully manipulating his magic skills like a DJ sampling sounds for the latest dance club mixes (Ariel even utilizes a Macintosh laptop to do so).

Freeman's Caliban also makes his mark, largely with the energetic drunken antics of Tim Hopper's hyper-excited royal jester Trinculo and Yasen Peyankov's swaggering butler Stephano. Watching these three stumble over each other is pure comic joy.

Now some die-hard Shakespearean fans will find quibbles in the way some Steppenwolf actors deliver the text (it isn't always as mellifluously spun as it could be). Yet there's no disputing the clear acting intent driving each performer's character.

While Steppenwolf's first stab at Shakespeare isn't as affecting as it could be, it certainly dazzles with its theatricality and welcome irreverence to meld the Bard with modernity. This first marriage of Shakespeare with Steppenwolf is one that I'd more than happy to see much more of in the future.

"The Tempest"

Rating: 3 stars

Location: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Times: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (Sunday evening shows end May 3), 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 2 p.m. Wednesday matinees begin May 6, through May 31

Running time: 2½ hours, with intermission

Tickets: $20-$70

Parking: Area garages and street parking

Box office: (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org

Rating: Largely for general audiences (some suggestive drunken physical antics)

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=1&type=video&item=240">Clip of 'The Tempest' </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>