Edogawa Commemorative Garden
at Gosford Regional Gallery, Gosford, NSW
at Gosford Regional Gallery, Gosford, NSW
The Tempest
7.00pm Saturday 23rd March 2024
The Tempest tells the story of redemption and hope. Banished Duke Prospero enslaves Mother Earth in the form of Caliban, and all the spirits of the island, forcing the elements into a tempest – washing up his enemy… until he learns better from those around him, and leans into love, the beauty of nature and steps into forgiveness and freedom.
With the action taking place among and around you, experience the transformation as the Japanese garden becomes the magical island full of shadows and a soundscape designed to make you soar. Immerse yourself in the extremities – from rage to redemption, from bondage to bravery.
This version of The Tempest draws together many characters to channel them into just four, leading clear journeys through the story and amplifying the magic of Shakespeare’s tale.
With the action taking place among and around you, experience the transformation as the Japanese garden becomes the magical island full of shadows and a soundscape designed to make you soar. Immerse yourself in the extremities – from rage to redemption, from bondage to bravery.
This version of The Tempest draws together many characters to channel them into just four, leading clear journeys through the story and amplifying the magic of Shakespeare’s tale.
Ferdinand is played by Ciarán O’Riordan, and is a character drawing together many of the elements of other shipwrecked characters in the original. Ciarán’s recent credits include Grain in the Bloom at KXT, Mel Stanwyck in Chimerica (New Theatre), and original plays What Have You Done (Chippen St. Theatre) and Sydney The Folk Musical (Newcastle Fringe, Sydney Folk Festival). He has also devised and directed a pop-up production of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Past Shakespeare credits include Pistol in The Merry Wives of Windsor (New Theatre), Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Acting Factory), Pericles in Pericles of Tyre (The Acting Factory), Ned Poins in Henry IV Parts One and Two with Streamed Shakespeare, as well as Silvius in As You Like It and Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night as part of ACA’s Graduating Company of 2020.
Sontaan Hopson plays Ariel, a combining of Ariel and Miranda from the original. Sontaan is a multiple award-winning actress of stage and screen who has toured theatre across Australia including Sydney Opera House with Oneness – Voice Without Form, as Calpurnia in Julius Caesar, and winning People’s Choice Award for Pride and Prejudice Short and Sweet, as well as playing Juliet, Ariel, Hermia and the Witch with Come you Spirits. Sontaan is also a qualified Spiral Practitioner, emotional clearance facilitator, and energy worker, helping raise the vibrations of all across the globe.
Prospero is played by Charles Mayer, graduate of Guildhall School of Music & Drama and former infantry commander in the British Army. He has performed on the West End stage, Shanghai, and across Australia and New Zealand with State Theatre Company of South Australia and Pop-Up Globe, and is co-founder of Come you Spirits, performing with the other actors in all five productions.
Caliban as Mother Earth is played by Jo Bloom. An actress and healer, Jo has performed Shakespeare across the UK and Australia in castles, theatres, cathedrals and botanical gardens. She’s worked with the British Shakespeare Company, Australian Shakespeare Company, and has performed in every production by Come you Spirits, which she founded. Jo also works as an energy healer and plant medicine practitioner.