Staffordshire’s summer showpiece event Stafford Festival Shakespeare is to present what is believed to be the Bard’s final solo play, The Tempest, in the grounds of Stafford Castle.
The production will be set on a small Italian-occupied island off the coast of Somalia against the backdrop of the glamour and elegance of the 1930s—the golden age of luxury cruise liners, Hollywood glamour and the dying days of vaudeville.
Director Clare Prenton said, “there’s literally something for everyone in The Tempest—it’s a crowd-pleasing last hurrah from the master entertainer Shakespeare.
“We decided on a post-colonial take on the story, with Italy colonising Eastern Africa at this time. Initially thinking about the Titanic era, I settled on the 1920s and ‘30s as a period of relative stability before the next storm—Fascism—swept across Europe.”
Stephen Beckett, who appeared on ITV in the roles of PC Jarvis in The Bill and Dr Ramsden in Coronation Street, plays Prospero and Richard Gibson, who was Herr Flick in the 1980s BBC sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo!, takes the role of Gonzalo.
Two actors who appeared in the Stafford Festival Shakespeare production of Othello in 2016 are back: James Lawrence as Sebastian and Reece Richardson as Ferdinand.
The rest of the cast comprises Maisey Bawden (Adriana), Grace Carter (Miranda), Johnathan Charles (Stephano), James Hornsby (Trinculo), Morgan Philpott (Antonio), Gavin Swift (Ariel) and Zephryn Taitte (Caliban)
“This year’s show is set to be one of our best yet,” said producer Derrick Gask. “With the help of last year’s creative team, we’ve assembled a brilliant cast and have some wonderful surprises in store.
“Perhaps we’re chancing fate in choosing The Tempest this year as we’re an outdoor venue. But all seating is under cover.”
The Tempest opens on Thursday 22 June and runs until Saturday 8 July. For the first time in its 27-year history, the festival will feature a Sunday performance on 25 June at 5PM.