The Tempest (Gallery Players)

See it if Streamlined, inclusive & gender neutral this Tempest emphasizes the rustic comedy/Caliban section over the aging, circumspect Prospero

Don't see it if Text & vocals take a back seat to Palmer's busy, showy staging despite non-existent set Fine principals but Cuskern's Prospero carries show

See it if you love the play & would like to see a fairly complete version.

Don't see it if you are looking for a blockbuster production.

Also There are few plays I know better or love more than “The Tempest.” I found the current Gallery Players production, though done on a shoestring, well worth seeing. The opening storm, staged practically among the audience, is thrilling. The barebones set makes good use of the spacious Gallery stage. Costumes, a kind of “contemporary regal” for the courtiers, are smart, important in a play in which garments figure in the plot. Much of the play’s extra-dramatic pageantry—including a masque & wedding ceremony—is staged here, offering us a chance to experience something closer to Shakespeare’s dynamics & proportions than is common nowadays. The play’s many extraordinary songs are actually used. Griffin Sharps, a strong Caliban, embodies the character’s animal nature, evokes our sympathy at his maltreatment & finds in the slave’s beautifully etched speeches ways to both creep & soar. And Dominic Cuskerin delivers effectively Prospero’s even more extraordinary language.... Read more Read less

See it if you would enjoy a fresh version of the Bard's play that sticks closely to the script but updates the set and characters. Fine use of space.

Don't see it if you expect an original presentation or an elaborate staging - here the actors and young chorus bring the story alive on a nearly bare stage.

See it if You want to see a truly community theatre play w/actors of all ages, genders, physical abilities & proficiency w/Shakespeare.

Don't see it if You want a cast that's equally adept at Shakespearean verse. You prefer plays w/bigger production values. You don't want to trek to Brooklyn

Also This production was designed to support the Gallery Players children's theatre program, the Peanut Gallery. Of that's a cause you'd like to support, please go. If you're going to the show expecting top-caliber Shakespeare, you will be disappointed. This is Shakespeare for all & I applaud them for taking the initiative to include as many people as possible to reflect the real world.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Shakespeare. GP delivers a great production with a diverse cast.

Don't see it if You are hard of hearing. They don't use amplification.

See it if Gallery players did not disappoint once again. This is the second Shakespeare play I hav seen here. Very enjoyable

Don't see it if If you are not a fan of Shakespeare or enjoy elaborate productions

See it if You love Shakespeare in any way shape or form, like community theater and don't mind acting ability that runs the gamut from fair to good.

Don't see it if you'd mind changes to the sex of Shakespeare's characters, females in place of male characters and other switches as well.

Also I love the Tempest but this was certainly not the best interpretation I have ever seen. Some of the casting worked fine (eg Dominic Cuskern as Prospero, Griffin Sharps as Caliban and Ana Karneza as Miranda) and much of it made no sense. Other than to be trendy for the sake of being trendy, there was no point to those changes.... Read more Read less

See it if You are Shakespeare fans. A research or reading before the show should help better understanding and enjoying the show.

Don't see it if You don't like Shakespeare or are not interested in the story.

See it if you enjoy a play with great actors ;kudos to Griffin Sharps as Caliban;great singing, wonderful kids in the chorus:a novelty in a Skspr play

Don't see it if you feel the set is too bare even if Skspr would have never used any scenery to depict the island.

Also Prospero, fleeing injustice and corruption,
lands on a Mediterranean island.This scene reminds me of the millions of immigrants fleeing terror and war,crossing the same waters and landing
almost on the same shores.
Sweet the song Ariel sings to the newcomer Ferdinand,
"Come onto these yellow sands,
And we'll join hands ....."... Read more Read less

See it if You like performances with a large cast with a story line that makes you use your imagination.

Don't see it if If you prefer to see a show with a more straight forward story line.

See it if if you like a different take on Shakespeare

Don't see it if if you are a purist with Shakespeare skip it

See it if You like to see a new take on a classic. You are willing to see a familiar play in a different way. The acting and singing are delightful.

Don't see it if You expect Shakespeare plays to be done in a set way. You don't like Shakespearean language.

See it if you enjoy the reversal of gender roles, want a diverse cast, and like having the actors incorporating the aisles and seating into the show.

Don't see it if you do not enjoy child actors or do not want to see an LGBT representation of a classic work. Warning for flashing lights at the beginning.

Also I feel as though some things worked phenomenally well in this show, whereas other things came across a bit more jarring. The number one confusing thing to me was the wedding dance, where modern music suddenly began playing. There was no indication that this show was supposed to be set in modern times, so it felt as though it came out of nowhere. The best part of the show by far is the opening, where the whole seating area is used to immerse the audience into the storm at sea -- it was wonderfully executed.... Read more Read less

See it if You already know the play well and would enjoy the twists of unusual casting including some gender role adjustments. Limited set and props.

Don't see it if You don't already know the play well enough to follow past the challenges hearing some of the actors who did not project their voices well.

See it if You do not mind a show where they take liberties on the source material and where the acting is not all first rate. You like immersive shows

Don't see it if You are a Shakespeare purist or you want the actors to have inflection in their voices. You prefer shows with a high budget

See it if You would like to see another Shakespeare play done on a smaller scale. Nice to see a diverse cast. Domenic did incredible job as Prospero

Don't see it if You have hearing problems. Some dialogue was inaudible. You need a big venue to enjoy a show

See it if You like Shakespeare and decent direction.

Don't see it if Excessive pauses aren’t your thing.

Also The production is decently directed and most of the main cast holds their own (The actor playing Caliban is the only actor who seems to make the character his own though).
Particular praise goes to the execution of the first scene (the shipwreck) and, overall, the staging is solid.
A big problem is that a lot of ad-libbing and fourth wall-breaking is done in the show, undercutting a lot of scenes - the actor playing Trinculo does this very often, directly addressing the audience more often than the actors she’s sharing the stage with.
Stakes in general are kind of low (the actor playing Ariel, in contrast to Caliban’s wailing of his imprisonment, seems relatively unconcerned about getting her freedom, though the lines would suggest otherwise.)
The musical bits are well done, though take a little time
The lighting design is strong, particularly for the opening and for Act 4.
The costumes are haphazard. The nobility is so bejeweled they reflect light into the audience whenever they move... Read more Read less

See it if You love good theater with local talent and a unique take on classic Shakespeare.

Don't see it if You need big production values and traditional Shakespeare.

See it if It both modernizes Shakespeare and it returns to the original entertaining nature of how Shakespeare was originally performed.

Don't see it if You are not open to a progressive presentation