The Tempest

COMMUNITY RETELLING OF ‘THE TEMPEST’ EXPLORES CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE LANDSCAPE OF PORTLAND

A brand new adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play ‘The Tempest’ premieres on Portland this September. The innovative outdoor production has been created by professional actors and writers working with community members from Portland and surrounding areas to create three unique plays.
Audiences can experience the three plays over one weekend as part of B-Side Festival Fringe at stunning outdoor locations-Chiswell Earthworks, High Angle Battery and Portland Bill. The project responds to these natural spaces and explores connections between the play, Portland’s heritage and climate crisis.
“The whole play is imbued with everything about nature and humans' relationship to it and how much they disregard or honour it.” Said the productions director Charmaine Kay explaining the choice to adapt the play on Portland in 2023, “It’s the power of civilisation and man-made construction versus the power of knowledge of nature.”
‘The Tempest: Rerigged’ has been created from workshops and rehearsals with local people since the Spring and also shares links to SISATA’s touring production of The Tempest which has been delighting audiences around the UK. The actors from that production are working alongside the community actors of the Portland Players and Offshoot Collective.
“The show is a real collaborative effort with professional and local community actors performing scripts written by local writers, costumes designed and made by local designers and Bournemouth students and music and song performed by Portland’s Island Voices Community Choir and Weymouth’s Harmonics Choir. It’s such an exciting coming together of different people and their ideas and talents, all inspired by the local area” explains the shows producer Jon Nash.
Sue Sparks, part of Offshoot Collective describes the project as “a people’s Tempest: by, with, from and for people like you and me.” Audiences are invited to enjoy the outdoor locations and share their own reflections on the environmental themes. The plays are performed on the 15th, 16th and 17th of September and tickets are now on sale.
The Tempest Re:rigged (15th, 16th and 17th of September)
Chiswell Earthworks, High Angle Battery and Portland Bill
For tickets and more information:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/portland/secret-location/the-tempest-rerigged/e-kgddmj

More information:
Visit Event Website