(2021-01-28) Stanford Shakespeare Company Brings The Magic In The Tempest A Radio Play

StanfordU Shakespeare Company brings the magic in ‘The Tempest: A Radio Play’... Best enjoyed with headphones, the show is an auditory treat that cleverly juxtaposes ambient music and sound effects to bring to life the magic of Prospero’s island all within your living room. Starting off with a bang (or, more precisely, a thunderclap), the howling storm and roaring sea that assault one’s ears in the first few seconds are jarring, yes, but they introduce the listener to the immersive potential of the auditory format. Listeners are instantly thrown into the tumultuous conflict of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”

Nevertheless, the play’s ability to question and resonate with audiences extends beyond a dramatic reading of the script alone. Rather, the radio play format allows the audio to play a major role in what lead sound designer Wilder Seitz ’22 describes as “creating ‘moments.’” According to Seitz, “At the editing stage you’re in complete control of all the elements, so you can make effects and music and acting all line up in the right way that theater snaps together into moments of profundity.” It is precisely in these “moments of profundity,” indicated by a puncture of volume or godly echo, that the emotional depth and meaning behind the Shakespearean phrases become suddenly so clear.

No review would be complete without mentioning the intricately composed musical scores interspersed throughout. Taking inspiration from “freak folk,” the character Ariel’s singing, accompanied by the sometimes soothing, sometimes melancholy array of string instruments, ties the play together in an ethereal fashion that reflects the role of the character. Just as Ariel possesses the unique ability to jump between the various groups on the island, the musical transitions seamlessly draw the island’s disparate inhabitants closer and closer together as the story unfolds to its climax.

The Tempest: A Radio Play” is available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music and SoundCloud.