The Tempest

by Hadrian Primary School

at The Northern Stage, 9/11/2020

appraised by Josie Lena Davies

I would like to extend my most sincere congratulations to Hadrian Primary and Nursery School
for your tremendous production of The Tempest as part of the 2019 Shakespeare Schools
Festival. It was an excellent night of theatre, and I’d like to highlight a few aspects that really
stood out.
The design elements of this production were beautiful and the costumes, set, and props
transported the audience directly into the world of the play and conveyed the status of the
characters in a relatable, relevant way. Not only did this cast make this story entertaining
throughout, they also showed a clear understanding of Shakespeare’s script and great craft as
storytellers.
The characters all showed clear purpose and intention and it was brilliant seeing how much they
had grown in confidence between the company workshop and performance day. The narration
was expressive, loud and clear and helped the audience understand the story beautifully. There
were also some brilliant comic performances, especially from the drunken characters who added
lots of humour into the production.
The dancing in this production was remarkable and aided the characterisation hugely, elevating
Ariel into a mystical being. The singing was also incredible and the vocal power filled the entire
space as well as providing strong dramatic moments. It’s hard to believe the age of these
performers given how skilled they are. The professionalism of the company was astounding and
we were astonished by the level of talent in the cast. I wouldn’t be surprised to see members of
the cast on many professional stages in years to come.
It was wonderful to see a director creating a performance that played to the strengths of each of
the cast members and showcased their talents really effectively. It was also brilliant to see how
supportive and encouraging all of the students were to each other and towards the other school.
This was an impressive, polished and dynamic Tempest from a talented, intelligent and focused
cast.
Performing Shakespeare’s words on a professional stage takes bravery, resilience, and
creativity. You should be immensely proud of what you and your teachers have achieved in this
Season of Infinite Variety. I hope to see Hadrian Primary and Nursery School in the 2020
Festival!