In Tim Crouch's 'The Tempest', artifice reigns supreme as the experimental writer-actor-director seeks to deconstruct the very fabric of theatre itself. By embracing high-concept treatment, Crouch delves headfirst into the play's themes of illusion and control, leaving audiences feeling like they're part of a rehearsal rather than an actual performance.
Crouch brings Prospero to life in his own unique way – think curmudgeonly farmer-festival-goer hybrid with a dash of Worzel Gummidge. The usually stoic Caliban gets a makeover too, trading monstrous imagery for a relatable, everyman quality, while Ariel is transformed into an otherworldly presence that exudes wisdom and watchfulness.
The production makes its share of bold statements about storytelling, artifice, and control. Miniature models of characters are laid out like a storybook, illustrating the idea that make-believe is a form of manipulation. Actors occasionally break character to talk directly to each other or even address the audience, leaving us questioning who's playing whom – an intriguing concept, but one that wears thin as the production relies on it too heavily.
The set, designed by Rachana Jadhav, is visually stunning, evoking a sense of contested cultural heritage with its museum-like quality. When Prospero conjures his storm, the model boat spinning around creates a mesmerizing spectacle that makes the high-concept treatment momentarily worthwhile.
Crouch's preoccupation with audience engagement results in some thrilling moments when singers burst into song from unexpected places or actors emerge from their seats to interact with each other. These moments of transgressive theatre feel original and funny – but they're overplayed, making it hard not to feel like we're being taught a lesson about the nature of performance.
Ultimately, 'The Tempest' underwhelms when it prioritizes its high-concept treatment over the drama itself. The idea that this production is "Good for us" feels medicinal, a forced attempt to make art pedagogical rather than genuinely impactful. Despite some clever ideas and beautiful design, the play stumbles in its execution, leaving one feeling unsatisfied with what could have been a truly memorable theatrical experience.
Crouch brings Prospero to life in his own unique way – think curmudgeonly farmer-festival-goer hybrid with a dash of Worzel Gummidge. The usually stoic Caliban gets a makeover too, trading monstrous imagery for a relatable, everyman quality, while Ariel is transformed into an otherworldly presence that exudes wisdom and watchfulness.
The production makes its share of bold statements about storytelling, artifice, and control. Miniature models of characters are laid out like a storybook, illustrating the idea that make-believe is a form of manipulation. Actors occasionally break character to talk directly to each other or even address the audience, leaving us questioning who's playing whom – an intriguing concept, but one that wears thin as the production relies on it too heavily.
The set, designed by Rachana Jadhav, is visually stunning, evoking a sense of contested cultural heritage with its museum-like quality. When Prospero conjures his storm, the model boat spinning around creates a mesmerizing spectacle that makes the high-concept treatment momentarily worthwhile.
Crouch's preoccupation with audience engagement results in some thrilling moments when singers burst into song from unexpected places or actors emerge from their seats to interact with each other. These moments of transgressive theatre feel original and funny – but they're overplayed, making it hard not to feel like we're being taught a lesson about the nature of performance.
Ultimately, 'The Tempest' underwhelms when it prioritizes its high-concept treatment over the drama itself. The idea that this production is "Good for us" feels medicinal, a forced attempt to make art pedagogical rather than genuinely impactful. Despite some clever ideas and beautiful design, the play stumbles in its execution, leaving one feeling unsatisfied with what could have been a truly memorable theatrical experience.
anyway did you see that new trailer for that new movie with the dwayne johnson superhero? i mean it looks kinda cool but idk if i'll actually watch it 
I mean, I love how Tim Crouch is pushing boundaries with this production of 'The Tempest' – it's like he's taking all these heavy themes and wrapping them around a carrot stick to make us think about performance art 
... but sometimes you feel like the execution is more concerned with being clever than actually delivering on that cleverness. I mean, those mini models of characters are cool and all, but they get repeated so much it starts to feel like a loop – "hey, we're in a world of make-believe!" 
... yeah, got it, thanks for the intro 
. The set is stunning though! 
but when it comes down to it, the production feels like it's trying too hard to be "transgressive" and "original". 
some of the moments where singers burst into song or actors break character are actually kinda funny, but they feel like they're just tacked on because they're supposed to be clever. 
overall, i think 'the tempest' could've been so much more impactful if it focused less on being a lesson about performance and more on just telling a great story 
and all that jazz, but the whole "miniature models of characters" thing just feels like a gimmick to me. And don't even get me started on how overplayed those moments of transgressive theatre are - I mean, come on, it's like they're trying too hard to make us feel like we're part of some sort of artistic revolution 
. Newsflash: just because you're doing something original doesn't mean it's automatically gonna be good 
. And honestly, the drama feels kinda secondary to all these fancy concepts - I'm not saying Crouch's approach is bad or anything, but 'The Tempest' could've used a bit more focus on the story itself 
. I mean, I love Tim Crouch's vision for Prospero, he's so... quirky 
but Caliban's relatable quality felt off, like he was trying too hard to be cool 
. I love Rachana Jadhav's set design tho, it's so... artsy 
but sometimes I felt like we were in a history lesson rather than an actual play 
but after a while it just feels like the writer's trying too hard to be edgy 
. Overall, I'm just not feeling The Tempest 2025 
.
I mean, Tim Crouch is like my fave writer-director-actor combo ever!!! 
but this play just doesn't feel right to me... it's all over the place? 
I loved how they used those mini models as a metaphor for make-believe being a form of manipulation, that was so clever! 
and Rachana Jadhav's set design is STUNNING!!! 
but at the same time, I felt like we were being hit over the head with all these " lessons" about performance... 
it was just too much info dump for me. 
can't they just let us enjoy the drama and magic without having to think so hard? 
anyway, I still love Tim Crouch to death and can't wait for his next project!!! 
, but sometimes I felt like I was just watching a bunch of people break character and talk to each other on purpose 
. Overall, though, I think they could've taken some of that energy and focused more on telling a good story 
the way they used miniature models of the characters was actually kinda clever but the actors breaking character thing started gettin old pretty fast 
especially when prospero conjured that storm it was like magic 
and i was down with the miniature models of characters but sometimes it felt like the actors were breaking character too much 
like whats the point of that lol? and the singers bursting into song from nowhere was actually kinda cool 
but it got old fast
I loved the miniature model set idea, though – really cool! 
Can't they just be present in the moment? 
️. I mean, who needs that many musical numbers or dramatic pauses? 
. But overall, I think 'The Tempest' felt like a concept over an actual story