Customer Reviews

The Tempest (Sourcebooks Shakespeare)

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This is a worthwhile edition of "The Tempest" in spite of its flaws, omissions, and limitations. The "Note from Series Editors" lays out clearly its unique features and gives some helpful hints on how to get the most out of them. The CD included provides at least two and sometimes three versions of ten passages taken from four productions, ranging from a 1962 recording with Donald Wolfit to a recent recording with Ian McKellan. The illustrations are numerous and include photographs taken from a score of modern productions, though a few of these are so small that it's impossible to see much detail.

Though Derek Jacobi narrates the CD, his critically acclaimed Prospero is here represented only by a single photo in the book; he is never heard as Prospero. Richard Preiss, the text editor, in his introductory essay on the history of the play in the theatre, refers to John Gielgud as 'the greatest modern interpreter of the role', yet there is not even a single appearance of Sir John either audially or visually. And not one of the many songs in the play is on the CD.

The layout of the book is very attractive. The text of the play is on right-hand pages, the glosses, production notes, and illustrations on the left. Different typefaces are used for stage directions (italic), character names and speech headings (all caps), and speeches (plain); along with plenty of white space, this makes the text easy on the eye. Preiss explains in a note "About the Text" that all versions of this play are ultimately based on the version in the Shakespeare Folio (1623). I noticed several misprints and some omissions of a word or two, the most serious of which is the omission of two short speeches between what in this edition are lines 70 - 71 of Act Two, Scene One:

GONZALO
This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
[ADRIAN
Carthage?
GONZALO
I assure you, Carthage.]
ANTONIO
His word is more than the miraculous harp.

Most of the commentary is clear and helpful, but at least one note on the words 'So, you're paid' in this scene is so completely muddled that it would take up too much space in this review to unmuddle it.

There is also a gaff in the narration on the CD. Sir Derek is made to refer to the character of Ferdinand as 'the usurping Duke of Milan's son' - he's actually listed correctly in the Dramatis Personae as 'son to the King of Naples.'

Preiss's essay on stage history is only one of several included to supplement the commentary on the play. There is an essay on the rehearsal of the play by inmates as part of the Shakespeare Behind Bars program, supplemented by excerpts from interviews with two of the inmates who played Prospero and Miranda on the CD. There is also a survey of the play's influence on the arts and popular culture. Some pretty obscure items are included here, like an opera by Havely, and some pretty dubious ones, like 'Gilligan's Island', while, perhaps inevitably, some more interesting or relevant items are not. Also included is a brief account of Shakespeare's life and times, and a discussion on 'Speaking Shakespeare.' On the CD is a recording of a voice coach working with an actor on a soliloquy from the play.

But whatever it's shortcomings, this edition of 'The Tempest' is informative and even entertaining and has much to offer to anyone interested in getting to know the play or getting to know it better.

Received promptly. Don't recall that description indicated that CD was missing. Very readable and inviting lay-out of text. Will use this Shakespeare series again.