"The Tempest" blows into its final week at the PCPA

Posted: Mar 14, 2013 10:46 AM by Dan Shadwell, KSBY News
Updated: Mar 15, 2013 11:06 AM

Local Spotlight: PCPA presents "The Tempest"

Scholars believe "The Tempest" was Shakespeare's last play.

Many also believe the story of the wizard who summons up a storm to avenge his betrayal, reveals the world's greatest playwright reflecting on the concept of forgiveness.

In our Local Spotlight... the PCPA production blasts into its final week at the Severson Theatre in Santa Maria, propelled by a strong tailwind.

Prospero, the duke of Milan is deposed by his own brother and banished to a remote island, where he plots his revenge while parenting his daughter, Miranda.

"He was her tutor, he was her father and her mother, so she's... she's spent her whole life reading, discovering, wanting to know how everything works," explains Jasmine Sim, who plays Miranda in the new production. "She's really smart and empathetic."

While on the island, Prospero discovers Caliban, a sort of aboriginal boy, who's marked with tattoos left by his now deceased mother... who happened to be a witch.

"This is beauty and this is grotesque and this is nomad living in time," says George Walker, pointing to the various designs inked all over his forearms and legs. "I have fire, earth, water and foundation on my legs."

Prospero teaches Caliban language raising him and Miranda almost as siblings. But as they mature... Caliban puts the moves on his adopted sister... a big mistake.

Sim explains the repercussions of that faux pas. "Miranda feels betrayed that this had to happen. Her father feels betrayed and Caliban feels angry because he thought that this was the right thing to do." Sim wrinkles her forehead at the complexity of the fall-out. "It's just a big mess," she says with a sigh and gentle laugh.

Meantime, Prospero--who's a sort of wizard-- has cooked up a big storm--The Tempest-- to sweep his treacherous brother's ship to the island... where Prospero can deal with him in person. It's big drama, full of heightened emotions, with some life lessons lurking just beneath the surface.

"Revenge and trying to get home," Walker says, using his hands to imitate two sides of a scale moving up and down. "But before you can get home, you have to forgive... and before you can forgive, you have to forgive yourself. Then you can go home," he says with a smile.

"The Tempest" runs through next Wednesday, March 20th. For tickets and more information click here.