Brighton Year-Round 2026

The Tempest

Brighton Little Theatre

Genre: Classical and Shakespeare, Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+ Theatre, Theatre

Venue: Brighton Little Theatre

Festival: Brighton Year-Round

Low Down

Review

Plain words best pierce the wonder. Suzanne Heritage directs The Tempest at Brighton Little Theatre till March 7. Simply put, it’s the finest Tempest I’ve seen since the RSC production in July 2017 directed by Gregory Doran; with Simon Russell Beale and Andy Serkis’ pyrotechnics making it the most spectacular ever staged. And, helmed by Luke Sorba in November 2016, at the Coronet Notting Hill, a magical chamber version in a matinee so chill the audience were issued blankets. Jeremy Herrin’s 2013 Globe production with Roger Allam and an affectingly gawky pair of lovers runs them close.

This slimlined two-hour production joins them: for vision, humanity, humour, pointed comedy reanimating scenes where strained jokes can drain into the sand. There’s depth of characterisation and fresh understanding of what “inter-play” means between protagonists; reanimating scenes, interacting courtiers or the diffraction of Ariel into five spirits which works with a five-sided being. And commanding all, Christopher Parkes’ magisterial, humane, kindly Prospero, though one who can roar: around whom the production mantles brilliant responses.

Steven Adams’ set is a model of simplicity: white curtains with three exits and two rocks furnish a ground for Beverley Grover’s light design to play on: with intricate lattice-work in greens, ultramarine and lemon. Kevin Heritage’s sound design starts tempest-tossed with other natural sounds, and five familiar pieces of music (Debussy’s Claire de Lune (enchantment). Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2 (comedy), Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre (merry dance of revenge), Pachelbel’s Canon for sweet sounds; and as finale Grieg’s Peer Gynt ‘Hall of the Mountain King’).

Myles Locke and Chris de La Nougerede have crafted a 1930s-40s Mafiosi look for the courtiers and servants, with striking blood-orange garb and make-up for Caliban; contrasting Miranda’s blue, her father’s emerald robes and Ariel’s virid green, a contrast to Caliban, here in quintuplicate. Ariel is headed by Harry Browse, elfin and rapt-voiced conciliator and Prospero-whisperer. Billy Wheeler’s striking tones convey an equal authority and heft, with Robyn Ives’ wily enchanter, Esme Bird’s witchy mischievous slant and Evie McGuire’s squallish, teen-like Ariel, the one prone to break rebelliously and repine: occasioning Parke’s glowering if restrained wrath.

One hallmark of a great Tempest is that heart-stopping moment when Prospero asks if Ariel feels compassion for the courtiers’ plight: “Thinks’t thou so, spirit?” “I would sir, were I human.” And Prospero’s realisation that revenge of any kind is impossible, with his “Then I shall” most memorably till now released after a breathtaking pause by Allam, answering Colin Morgan. Parke looks round each Ariel in wonder, his eyes changing constantly. His “Then I shall” is the most thrilling release of this I’ve seen.

Emily Rose-James brings a fresh, teen-edged spirit to her Miranda, both comical and affecting, especially bored by Prospero, distracted mischievously by Ariel. Her finest moment is when her eyes boggle at her father’s fiat against sex as he plights her to Ferdinand, to whom he’s addressing his strictures. Chantelle Winder’s Ferdinand brings a delicacy and ardour, mixed with the smallest insouciance of a prince, here spellbound by Miranda. There’s another tiny detail: logs he’s enforced to move become miraculously heavy when he lifts them, and light when Miranda does. The sound-design audibly plucks a note. Finally Ferdinand’s burden lifts. There’s much comedic detail like that. Interplay between Winder’s ardent but awestruck Ferdinand and James is delicious. His reaction too to others including his father is truth itself.

Dante Skinner’s Caliban is a true force. He’s both rapidly-spoken where needs – eschewing the slow-chewed voice of some – yet poetic, rapid in dispatch in the great speeches, lending them a new pointedness. His Caliban’s anger at new masters builds slowly following his baffled self-abasement. Emerging from comedy to pathos, there’s a longer journey than through bogs by the end.

His companions are of his order. Colin Rogers-Marsh’s Trinculo, a clown from the east-end, is rounded and incredulous at his lot. More particularly with Caliban and class-displacement from an old friend: Richard Fisher’s overreaching drunk butler Stephano. Fisher’s mordantly uproarious as a trumped-up flunkey lording it over the other two. The trio’s drunken dances are another highlight. And quintuple Ariel’s throwing voices to enrage Trinculo and Stephano works as never before.

Most tellingly, Heritage rethinks the courtiers’ scenes. Andrew Bird’s a ruminant king Alonso: thinking his son Ferdinand dead, he sinks into dignified grief. He’s joined in the finest Gonzalo I’ve seen. As Prospero’s faithful retainer John Hartnett speaks with magnificent eloquence (like Parke). His reaction to Ferdinand’s apparent loss, then joy is overwhelming. Hartnett’s utopian speeches have point and dignity.

A dignity undercut by the fantastic queer double-act Antonia (Carolyn Quinn) and slightly greyer-witted Sebastienne (Kerri Corcoran). With comedic bravura and timing they lift Shakespearean jokes to mint them fresh and furious round Gonzalo and Alonso. Chinn’s sibilant sly wit is fast. Corcoran’s Sebastienne catches wit but not darker purposes so her quick-slow interplay is a delight. Both add new textures to these unsavoury characters, slouched in berets and pearls.

Heritage tells us in the notes that Sigourney Weaver’s December 2024 performance as Prospero in a rather ill-fated Tempest inspired her to think a BLT production might have something to say. It has; far more than events that inspired it. If you can beg a ticket, see this. Outstanding.

Stage Managers Clare Prater and Vicki Horder, ASM Rosalind Caldwell

Make-Up Design/Wigs Patti Griffiths, Make-Up Evie McGuire Rosa Alempour.

Lighting and Sound Operation, Glenys Harries-Rees

Prompt Jo Newman

Costume Design & Creation Myles Locke, Chris de La Nougerede, Hair & Make-Up Patti Griffiths & Evie McGuire

Committee Liaison Lucie Thaxter

Photography Miles Davies. Design Holly Everett

Published March 5, 2026 by Simon Jenner