Introduction
The embodiment of famous literary pieces on stage is a challenge, especially if they are plays by the world-famous author William Shakespeare. The Tempest production, directed by Gregory Doran, was presented by the Royal Shakespeare Theater in the 2016-2017 season (Gregory Doran 2016 Production). The show received considerable publicity for its innovative approach to technology on stage. Although The Tempest demonstrated that technology could become an organic part of the play despite concerns about distorting the theatrical idea, the production has some flaws when considering the connection to the text.
Challenges of Performing The Tempest
The play The Tempest is challenging to produce, as the plot includes many magical effects and episodes. Therefore, using an element of technology for sound, music, and images could become a critical solution for staging. However, such an embodiment is complicated; for example, the play’s first scenes involving a storm in the 2016 production were overloaded with sound and effects, preventing hearing actors’ lines, which was repeated in subsequent scenes (Woodall para. 2-3). Text and staging can complicate each other – the text offers a framework to work with, but the production must adapt and offer interpretations that make the play more suitable for the stage.
Application of Augmented Reality to the Play
The use of augmented reality technology was supposed to enrich the text of the play and present images that can be difficult for some readers and viewers to imagine. For example, the embodiment of the air spirit Ariel, with his ability to be disembodied, grow, and become small, was striking. However, due to the complexity of the use of technology, the image was late and did not correspond to the text. At the same time, the actor himself was visible on stage, which bifurcated his image (The Tempest 2:30-2:37). As a result, the play shows a desire to convey all the richness of the text and make a spectacular play for the audience, but they can contradict each other.
Conclusion
Thus, the play The Tempest by the Royal Shakespeare Theatre’s 2016 production introduced an innovative approach to theatre using technological elements. The text complicates the staging by presenting a specific direction and framework for the work. The production, in turn, complicates the text since it can have an element of interpretation from the director and be adapted to be better presented to the audience. The play was beautiful and showed the advantages of technology application in the theater, but it had some drawbacks, representing opportunities for improving staging with technology in the future.
Works Cited
“Gregory Doran 2016 Production.” Royal Shakespeare Company, Web.
“The Tempest: The Royal Shakespeare Company.” YouTube, uploaded by Marquee, Web.
Woodall, James. “The Tempest, Barbican Theatre review – Sound and Fury at The Expense of Sense.” The Art Desk, Web.