THE TEMPEST


While most of Cardinal Nation was busy cheering the U of L men's basketball team to a victory over Marquette last night, my son Collin Matthew and I were engaged in other pursuits. We were taking advantage of an opportunity to see The Tempest at Actors Theatre of Louisville. We had been looking forward to seeing the show, and I'm pleased to report that we were not disappointed in the least.

The Tempest is a wonderful, imaginative play. It is generally considered to be William Shakespeare's final solo work. The play is a "magical comic romance," filled with poetic imagery and powerful evocative language.

Having been banished to a deserted island the protagonist, Prospero, conjures up a storm to exact revenge upon those who have betrayed and banished him. Collin and I both felt that the cast did an outstanding job of creating the story, using all available theatrical tools to great advantage. We felt that Henry Woronicz was very compelling in the role of Prospero. Overall, the cast was strong, and the performance was memorable.

Special thanks go to Susie and Mike Stewart (who were busy attending the 'Ville game) for making the tickets available to us. This was a special evening for father and son. I loved getting to share the experience with Collin, and I won't soon forget it.