Tempest Masque: a participatory event

“Welcome to the enchanted island of Utopia!”

Expanding on the ‘labs’ and performances at the Clifftown Theatre, Southend, and at the Cockpit Theatre, London, 2022/2023, the Lakeside Theatre show will feature structured improvisation, audience games and challenges, masks, live music, dance, ‘bouffon’, and Shakespeare’s masterful text.

Tempest Masque is a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s magical invention, featuring the chorus, named by Prospero as “the rabble”. They will guide you through the antimasques to the “removéd mysteries” and “country footing” of the masque. But be aware, the Utopian chorus can flip into the Dystopian at any time!

Tempest Masque is inspired by the only documented early 17th century performances of ‘The Tempest’ (1611/1613) at Whitehall Palace, where The King’s Men presented The Tempest, probably as a multimedia masque. As part of our renaissance-contemporary ‘conversation’ we mix ideas for a cutting-edge, international performance. We invite you to question what can The Tempest mean today? What are the storms of life, and the “sea change” necessary to guide us through them?

This production has been developed as part of Mark Turner’s PhD practice as research at East 15 Acting School (University of Essex).

A £5 Studio show as part of our extended homegrown talent 2022-23 season.