THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY RELEASE FIRST LOOK IMAGES OF ALEX KINGSTON AS PROSPERO AND JESSICA RHODES AS MIRANDA IN THE UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF THE TEMPEST
Today (Tuesday 13 December 2022), the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) release first look character portrait images of Alex Kingston (Doctor Who, A Discovery of Witches, ER) as Prospero and Jessica Rhodes as Miranda in their upcoming production of The Tempest, alongside the launch of new poster artwork.
The production will run in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Thursday 26 January to Saturday 4 March 2023, with press night on Thursday 2 February.
The company comprises Jamie Ballard (Antonio), Ishia Bennison (Gonzalo), Natalia Campbell (Goddess), Tina Chiang (Master), Grace Cookey-Gam (Sebastian), Peter De Jersey (Alonso), Heledd Gwynn (Ariel), Liz Jadav (Goddess), Jonny Khan (Francisco), Natalie Kimmerling (Sailor), Alex Kingston (Prospero), David Lee-Jones (Adrian), David Osmond (Sailor), Joseph Payne (Ferdinand), Rodrigo Peñalosa Pita (Boatswain), Jessica Rhodes (Miranda), Tommy Sim’aan (Caliban), Imogen Slaughter (Goddess), Simon Startin (Stephano) and Cath Whitefield (Trinculo).
Directed by Elizabeth Freestone, The Tempest has Set Design by Tom Piper, Costume Design by Tom Piper and Natasha Ward, Lighting by Johanna Town, Music and Sound by Adrienne Quartly, Movement by Sarita Piotrowski, Fights by Kev McCurdy, Puppetry Direction and Design by Rachael Canning. Casting is by Helena Palmer CDG.
The world is out of kilter. Political unrest and an unsettled climate make for stormy times.
People are out of kilter, too. Sibling rivalry and family ruptures cause heartache and uneasy souls.
On an island full of noises, a mother and daughter strike a truce with nature to survive. Then one day, their long-lost enemies sail into view on the horizon. Against the power of a furious sea, the reunited foes are forced to confront their pasts and themselves.
The Tempest asks us to examine the delicate balance in our personal relationships as well as with the fragile ecosystems around us. What damage do we do to each other – and to the natural world? In the end, young love brings hope for a better life: perhaps healing ourselves and mending the planet are one and the same thing.