Globe Education Online

This is Jasper's second blog entry for the 2000 production of The Tempest, in which he talks about the visuals in the play, voice work, and ongoing changes throughout rehearsals amongst other things.

Visuals in The Tempest

We have begun to put scenes 'on their feet'. I think that The Tempest is quite a straightforward play, so there is only so much value in talking through each scene. Lenka (Udovicki, director) works in a very visual way. Even though English isn't her first language she has an amazing way of expressing herself. She talks very eloquently about what she imagines the scene to be about. She will imagine scenarios based on the words and 99% of her ideas are brilliant. I am so happy to be working with her.

We have been discussing the idea that Caliban is human, not an animal and not supernatural. We think he might have a webbed finger or two. I have been looking through the designs for my costume. I have a dark green skin, a bit like a giant bat's wing. This also acts as the gabardine. I have leather trousers, which are made out of lots of different textured bits of leather, almost like a skin. I am also going to be covered in mud, seaweed and shells, perhaps even with a tattoo on my back.

Rehearsing at Otley

Last week the whole company went to Otley, an Elizabethan Manor House, for some intense rehearsal. Whilst we were there I decided to take a trip out to the coast. I collected lots of seaweed and driftwood and brought it back with me. I took it to the stage management team as I thought it was the perfect type of wood for Caliban to carry. I don't think that he should have neatly sawn pieces, I think that they should look natural. These were some of the most water soaked and rotting pieces of wood I have ever seen. However, it was pointed out to me that use of driftwood might suggest that Prospero was sinking all the ships that sailed past the island!

Vocal Experiments

I have continued to experiment vocally with a deep voice. At first Lenka said that she thought it sounded fake in places, and that I must work on this because Caliban needs to sound like he's come from the earth. It seems that the more I learn the lines, the more instinctive and natural Caliban's voice is becoming. I am also trying to think of a way to make Caliban sound as though he hasn't been speaking the language he is using for very long. I want him to have some strange form of pronunciation. I'm not sure whether or not this will work in a theatre without a roof. At the Globe, speaking clearly is very important. Consonants are vitally important. You can't rely on vowels alone. I'm going to try and see if there is any way that I can make this idea work without losing the clarity of the lines.

I have been thinking about the way Caliban's voice might change as the play progresses. By the scene in which Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo go into Prospero's cell and try on the clothes, I believe that Caliban has become more eloquent. Like all the characters in Shakespeare's plays, he has been on some sort of journey. He seems to have become more civilised from being with Trinculo and Stephano.

Changing Ideas

I've also been thinking a lot about Caliban's relationship with Prospero and Miranda. I believe that Caliban still loves Prospero even though he plots to kill him. Caliban was born on the island and adopted by Prospero. He used to play with Miranda and, as a teenager, I feel, that he fell in love with her. When he tried to show this love, Prospero disowned him. I think that even now Caliban is still in love Miranda. I need to think about a way to show this on stage every time they appear together. Miranda, however, now hates him. I want to show how this makes Caliban feel emotionally.

I spoke before about the idea of using chains. It has been decided to forget this idea. I wasn't happy with it and some of my friends and family pointed out the idea was unoriginal and is much used in productions of The Tempest. Prospero does not need to put Caliban in chains in order to control him.

At the moment I am concentrating on speaking the verse. I believe that verse has to be spoken in a certain way. It was written that way for a reason. You have to take a breath at the end of each line. I think this helps to sustain the audience's attention, especially where there is a 'but' at the end of a line. I think it is a terrible shame when verse is spoken in the same way as prose.

These comments are the actor's thoughts or ideas about the part as s/he goes through the rehearsal process-they are simply his/her own interpretations and frequently change as the rehearsal process progresses.

Back to Caliban