Theatre lovers are in for a wild ride when Tropical Arts stages The Tempest

If you like your theatre to take you on a journey and like to see faces and places onstage that you didn’t expect, then the Tropical Arts production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest promises to be a performance full of magic, intrigue, romance and comedy you won’t want to miss.

Set amid the brooding backdrop of Tanks Arts Centre’s massive World War II concrete naval oil storage tanks and the tropical rainforest of the open air amphitheatre, here is an indoor/outdoor, site-specific production directed by Avril Duck and Kevin West.

It features a large and local ensemble cast including John Lipscomb as Prospero and Laila Thaker as a very cheeky Ariel. This Tempest melds contemporary and classical with modern dance and movement, mixed media, storm soundscapes, didgeridoo and an old venue.

The costuming and direction pay homage to antiquity and the magic of Shakespearean language.

The Tempest is set on a tropical island where a mighty storm is conjured by Prospero. A shipwreck offers up old enemies for the exiled scholar to judge and control. Reviled Caliban illustrates a narrative of Australian indigenous struggles for survival against a colonising oppressor, while the jungle setting and cyclonic wind tell a north Queensland story.

• There will be a Masonic and Rotarian charity gala performance in support of COUCH and the Australian Volunteer Coastguard on Wednesday, August 13, tickets cost $27.50 (including supper). The official opening night is Thursday, August 14, and the play runs until August 18 with matinee sessions included. To book, phone TicketLink on 4031 9555.

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