The best Brownsea Island play to date?
This time the company are showing The Tempest; a particular favourite of mine. Having booked seats in February, I stood at the window on Friday morning, tickets in hand, looking at horizontal rain and bleak skies. Open air theatre in the soaking wet, with soggy sandwiches and umbrella-huddling, was not how I’d pictured the evening. It seemed the organisers agreed and, thankfully, the performance was rescheduled for the next day.
On Saturday evening I was feeling relieved, cruising across Poole Harbour on the Brownsea Island Ferry. It was a warm, sunny evening without even a hint of rain and I couldn’t wait to tuck into my pre-show picnic with friends.
Upon arrival we walked through the woods with other excited hamper-carrying picnickers. Unpacking our sandwiches, mini-sausages, strawberries and wine, we were interrupted only by a bold red squirrel bounding beneath the trees and the occasional visit from a curious peacock. This was what we had been hoping for. As the shadows lengthened we chatted about the imminent performance. Would it live up to its predecessors?
BOAT’s production of The Tempest was the best I’ve seen. The acting was excellent, with special mention of the hilarious trio: Trinculo, Stephano and Caliban. The whole cast were dedicated to every scene without a noticeable stumble or hesitation throughout. They drew the audience into their world and I was immediately gasping, giggling and applauding along with everyone else.
The set was simple but incredibly effective. I suppose we were blessed with the wider setting of Brownsea which is simply perfect for this play. The boat ride transported the audience to a deserted island for the evening and it wasn’t hard to picture shipwrecks and magic on the shores.
To add details to the island location, the set design team incorporated an elevated stage with hidden spaces below (reminiscent of The Globe), with sails, boat-structures and a beautiful backdrop of illustrated plants. There were no clunky and distracting set changes and imagination filled in the spaces.
The costumes, as is usual with BOAT productions, were all beautifully designed and added to the whole experience. The programme explains how Jo Gordon, part of the costume team, even made intricately woven Dorset Buttons, showing the painstaking attention to every tiny detail that runs through BOAT’s work.
Similarly, the makeup was excellent with Caliban’s frighteningly pale eyes and ‘dirty’ skin coming immediately to mind. The whole production team outdid themselves.
If I had to find a negative point in the whole magical evening I can only think of one instance. During the Goddesses’ song the sound system seemed to be misbehaving, causing the sound to cut in and out a little. It wasn’t a big problem and I’m sure it will be quickly resolved (it was only the 2nd night after all). Overall the sound team did a fantastic job and this minor hiccup is the only fault I could find in the production. BOAT’s The Tempest was superb and we all left in agreement that it was our favourite Brownsea play to date.
I will always wonder if the tempestuous weather on Friday night would have added to the drama of the first scene, but luckily the cast and crew did the hard work and I was transported to an isle that felt just as stormy as the night before (without the soggy sandwiches).
If you’ve got tickets to see The Tempest on Brownsea Island this year then you’re in for a real treat. I can think of no better way to spend a summer’s evening – a first rate production in beautiful surroundings after a boat trip and picnic with friends. I’ll see you there next year. It’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, I believe…
Image: www.brownsea-theatre.co.uk
We went to the show on the night of Monday 27th July….the weather was blustery and there was a light shower, during the show. The setting for the Theatre is in a sheltered bowl, so the weather did not deter the Cast, who soldiered on magnificently.
Alice’s assesment of the event is completely accurate as far as we were concerned too – thoroughly enjoyed the whole adventure. First Class.