Last week our students were treated to some performances as part of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival. The Drama minor class showed off their critical voices with discerning reviews of ‘The Tempest’. As Taylor Huie wrote, “Anyone brave enough to tackle producing a Shakespearian play is worthy to be dubbed courageous. But to strive for the simultaneous fabrication of four productions within a single company, that is the aspiration of idols. Since 2004, performers have worked year-round to produce the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, a two-month span of open-air Shakespearean productions. And what better place to hold these performances than in the enchanting gardens of Cambridge University colleges?”
Tanya Goiporia noted, “A performance that could not be missed- for his loud wailing was surely heard across the town- was that of Caliban’s, the son of the deceased witch Sycorax. As soon as the actor stormed on stage, wide-eyed and twitching, the audience was fascinated by his whimsical whining. His costume certainly told his story well- dirty, misshapen rags were loosely draped over his thin frame, while his left arm was covered in foul green paint with etchings, clearly designed to replicate scales. This half-man, half-monster punctuated every expression with a twisted face and every line of dialogue with a shrieking tongue, building a spectacular image of a perfectly pathetic servant, one that enthralled the audience with every sneer.”
Justin Levine offered the following character reviews: “By grouping Rob Goll (Antonio) and Scott Loader (Sebastian) together, I have no intention of downplaying the spectacular supporting performances of the two conspirators against Alonso. They both accentuated each other’s quips with cleverly placed laughter and gestures. And though he did not pop up much in this performance, Alexander Gordon-Wood’s performance of Alonso added a lot to the expression of other characters. His bold voice and masterful execution of a complicated role was by all means impressive.”
Oxbridge Academic Programs 