THE TEMPEST ON FIRE | STAGE REVIEW
Theatr Brycheiniog, Penpont, Sat 2Nov
I like Shakespeare. I like fire displays. And I love the musical group Baka Beyond, formed by the amazing Martin Cradick and Su Hart in collaboration with the Baka rainforest tribe. All of these elements featured in the spectacular spectacle that was The Tempest on Fire. Theatr Brycheiniog, too, has a reputation for putting on some fantastic shows, so it was with all these facts in mind that I ventured forth from Cardiff to Brecon in the autumnal but very winter-ambitious wind last week.
Set in the grounds of the rather lovely Penpont manor house, amidst the illuminated Green Man maze and resplendent foliage, The Tempest on Fire did not disappoint. Created by David Goffee and organised by the very nice people at SWICA, this abridged re-telling featured awesome fire-based acrobatics from some very fine performers indeed, culminating in a magnificent fiery, and aerial, display. Dance, drums, torches, trapeze – all were here, and the combination of these, expertly handled, was breath-taking.
The story itself was well-edited into a pleasingly compact couple of hours, and the drums and beats of Baka Beyond provided a fresh and lively accompaniment. In fact, the combination of tribal sounds and one of Shakespeare’s most magical tales seemed, somehow, most apt – especially considering the tale’s upbeat ending, in this instance, replete with wild dancing, vivid illumination, and a fantastic, party-like atmos.
In the words of Robert Plant (who also attended the event), this was “exciting and beautiful”, and , for this reviewer, an extremely entertaining couple of hours.
words: MAB JONES