\t\t\t\t\t\t[aesop_gallery pslightbox=”on” transition=”crossfade” caption=”1-3: Photos by Tim Fuller” galleryType=”grid” id=”1070″]\n
\u201c\u2019ATC\u2019S \u2018TEMPEST\u2019 MAGICAL\u2014GISSELMAN\u2019S VISION CAPTIVATES AUDIENCE\u2019\u2026Words race to catch the imagery before it evaporates into the memory of Arizona Theatre Company\u2019s colorful, sweet, warm and magical production of \u2018The Tempest.\u2019 This is Shakespeare for the eye as well as the ear, presented with a sweep of stage artistry to support the lyricism of the language\u2026. The common complaint that Shakespeare is too difficult to understand will not apply here. ATC has crafted a very accessible presentation that gains much of its strength from being so thoroughly conceived. Scene follows scene follows scene in striking tableau. They combine to support Shakespeare\u2019s timeless sweep of forces as completely as the subconscious supports one\u2019s own personality. The acting is uniformly good and fitted together with a solid ensemble feel that is comforting. Randall Duk Kim as the regal sorcerer Prospero has a magnetic presence.\u201d
\u2013Chuck Graham, TUCSON CITIZEN (2\/26\/1988)<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019ATC\u2019S \u2018TEMPEST\u2019 LIVELY, IMAGINATIVE, REWARDING ENTERTAINMENT\u2019\u2026\u2018The Tempest\u2019 is afforded a charming, lucid production that pays attention to Shakespeare\u2019s tempting words even during the hugely effective moments of music and magic. Under the direction of Gary Gisselman, ATC\u2019s artistic director, this is an exciting piece of work\u2026. His approach is clear-headed and lively, and the result is a work of imagination and humor and emotional depth\u2026.Gisselman has brought together a magnificent group of actors. Randakk Duk Kim, a Hawaiian, makes his ATC debut as Prospero. He makes Shakespeare\u2019s language as easily understood as Neil Simon\u2019s (OK, I\u2019m exaggerating). Kim\u2019s is a rich and masterful performance.\u201d
\u2013M. Scot Skinner, THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR (2\/26\/1988)<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019ATC FINDS LAUGHS IN \u2018TEMPEST\u2019\u2019\u2026First to note among the characters is, of course, Prospero, Duk Kim,\u2026presents a multifaceted character. He is kind yet full of rage, bringing touches of humanity and sly humor to a part that easily could be interpreted as pompous and dull. As Miranda, Lawless is the image of innocence, and the affection she shares with Duk Kim is believable.\u201d
\u2013Joy Coolidge, THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019SO WHERE IS THIS ISLAND?\u2019\u2026THE PLACE WAS magical even before Prospero, the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda were exiled there. And he brought a lot of magic with him\u2014in his staff, his mantle, and his ancient books\u2026. When Shakespeare wrote this play the big news of the day was the settlements in the New World, stormy wrecks in the Bermudas and the strange native Indians. Who else is native to this island? William Shakespeare, for one. It\u2019s a small imaginative step to see that Shakespeare in his last great theatrical work enjoys speaking through Prospero, a fellow magician and ruler of fantastical worlds. That island and The Tempest can now be found on stage at The Arizona Theatre Company under the direction of Gary Gisselman. They work some theatre magic worthy of Shakespeare and Prospero\u2026.A mast cracks. A yardarm falls to the floor\u2026.the scene instantly changes to the island\u2026.More magic. Then Kim begins to speak. And if you don\u2019t go to the play for any other reason, go hear this actor make Shakespeare\u2019s words his own. He and Lawless are so good at conveying nuances of character while delivering the verse that the second scene doesn\u2019t seem so much full of exposition as full of life. With gentle looks, wry smiles and confidence in his mastery of fate, Kim\u2019s Prospero is never the frightening and majestic god of a Roman painting; instead, the up-turned beard and soft features suggest a world-weary wizard. A Gandalf or a Merlin\u2026. So where is this island in The Tempest? This production makes us see it in the theatre, in Prospero\u2019s eyes, and in Shakespeare\u2019s imagination. In the wonderful final speech, Prospero invites us to complete the creation and to thank him for his vision. The real magic is in Randall Duk Kim as he reaches across 350 years to bring us within a few feet of the mind of a genius.\u201d
\u2013Howard Allen, THE TUCSON WEEKLY (3\/2-8\/1988)<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019SOME ENCHANTED EVENING\u2019\u2026Randall Duk Kim delivers a subtle, restrained performance as Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan who practices his magical hobbies on a mysterious island. Kim (looking splendidly enigmatic in Tibetan-style robes and exotic make-up) adds no gimmicks and few embellishments to the role, allowing Shakespeare\u2019s vivid language to do most of the job. Yet the resulting effect is not weakness, but controlled inner strength\u2026. Shakespeare has no doubt looked and sounded this good before. But Arizona Theatre Company has found ways to make The Tempest seem fresh. Whether you\u2019re a die-hard Bard groupie or a novice, it\u2019ll blow you away.\u201d
\u2013Robert X. Planet, NEW TIMES (3\/23-29\/1988)<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[aesop_gallery pslightbox=”on” transition=”crossfade” caption=”1-3: Photos by Tim Fuller” galleryType=”grid” id=”1070″] Review Excerpts \u201c\u2019ATC\u2019S \u2018TEMPEST\u2019 MAGICAL\u2014GISSELMAN\u2019S VISION CAPTIVATES AUDIENCE\u2019\u2026Words race to catch the imagery before it evaporates into the memory of Arizona Theatre Company\u2019s colorful, sweet, warm and magical production of \u2018The Tempest.\u2019 This is Shakespeare for the eye as well as the ear, presented with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":268,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-performances"],"metadata":{"_wp_old_date":["2021-12-03"]},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n