Brilliant 'Tempest' is fitting farewell for star

Rick Harmon
·3 min read

There may be no more fitting part for Greta Lambert to bid her farewell to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival than Prospero in “The Tempest,” Shakespeare’s story of someone who toils in a remote location to perfect their magic, ultimately to the betterment of all.

Montgomery is not a remote island, but it’s not Broadway, a location who those who have seen one of the most brilliant actors to grace an Alabama stage believe Lambert could have thrived. Through the decades, ASF audiences have seen her perfect her art, her magic in Alabama’s third largest city.

Greta Lambert as Prospero in ASF's production of "The Tempest."
Greta Lambert as Prospero in ASF's production of "The Tempest."

“The Tempest” is no different. Once again, Lambert’s wonderful performance brings an audience under her spell, turning this adaptation of the Shakespeare classic into an enchanting experience.

It should be noted that she has considerable help.

This is a production to make you proud of and grateful for a Shakespeare theater with the entire cast and crew excelling. Each member of the large cast is excellent, and the production values from direction, to sets, to lighting are just as good, with a gorgeous musical “folk pirate” chorus literally helping to set the tone.

As the play begins, huge sails tower above the stage, as musicians perform on the deck of a ship before its royal passengers. Lighting, thunder and a tempest occur literally in a flash, and suddenly, almost magically, the sails have disappeared and the ship’s passengers are strewn along a beach with the incredible set of a wrecked ship behind them.

Alex Brightwell as Trinculo, and Chris Mixon as Stephano in ASF's production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
Alex Brightwell as Trinculo, and Chris Mixon as Stephano in ASF's production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest."

For those unfamiliar with the famous story, it concerns Prospero, who 12 years before was the Duke of Milan before her treacherous brother, Antonio, intent on stealing her dukedom, set Prospero and her daughter Miranda adrift in a small boat. Marooned on the island, Prospero has spent the days perfecting her magic and plotting her revenge. The opportunity for this vengeance finally arrives when the ship carrying her betrayer and the royal party sails near the island.

With the help of Ariel, the spirit she has subjugated to her service — well played by Thani Brant — Prospero conjures a tempest that strands the passengers on the island. But will she pursue vengeance or show forgiveness? Lambert’s performance dances adroitly on the edge of the two extremes.

There is not a bad performance in the production, and there are many good ones. It’s a joy to see Greg Thornton’s return to ASF’s stage as the noble but painfully loquacious Gonzalo, who helped Prospero in her time of need.  Chris Mixon, another longtime ASF favorite, plays drunken butler Stephano, and the scenes featuring him, Alex Brightwell as the jester Trinculo and Chauncy Thomas as the island’s oldest inhabitant Caliban, are delights. Sigrid Wise and Billy Finn do a fine job of supplying the romance, as Miranda and Ferdinand, Prospero’s daughter and the King's son. Antonio (Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper) and Sebastian (Ben Cherry) create believable and hiss-worthy villains. But, to repeat, there is not a bad performance in the production.

Chauncy Thomas as Caliban in ASF's production of "The Tempest."
Chauncy Thomas as Caliban in ASF's production of "The Tempest."

Artistic director Rick Dildine, who directed the production, does a wonderful job, beautifully merging these fine performances with every theatrical weapon in ASF’s considerable arsenal.

Part of this considerable arsenal is “The Mooncalves,” a group of superb musicians who accent the action with gorgeous interludes that liven up an already lively production. But every part of this production excels, including Jeff Behm’s lighting, Kathleen Geldard’s costumes, Melanie Chen Cole’s soundscapes and most of all Christopher and Justin Swader’s sets.

The result is a wonderful production of Shakespeare, and a superb send-off for a great actor. Although Lambert is leaving her full-time role at ASF, she hasn’t ruled out coming back to perform at ASF for specific productions. Audiences can only hope that, like Prospero, after time she makes a magical and triumphant return.

Greta Lambert, left, as Prospero and Thani Brant as Ariel in ASF's production of "The Tempest."
Greta Lambert, left, as Prospero and Thani Brant as Ariel in ASF's production of "The Tempest."

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Brilliant 'Tempest' is fitting farewell for star