TakingShakespeareoutofthisworld
The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society is returning to the outdoor summer stage at Galt Gardens with a new interpretation of “The Tempest.”
Director DJ Gellatly, who directed “Romeo and Juliet” two years ago, has created a new world for the play, originally set on a fantasy tropical island to be set on a distant planet in outer space.
“The play itself is very different from the other plays that Shakespeare wrote because it has a lot of magical and mystical elements to it,” says Kate Connolly, president of Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society. “Our director has taken an interesting line with this play; he has moved it to another frontier by setting it in outer space, on a distant planet, in the distant future.”
The new rendition of “The Tempest” has been described by the cast and crew to be a blend of Shakespeare’s words set in a “Star Trek” themed world. Actor Cole Fetting has been a part of the Shakespeare Performance Society for their last three productions and says this play has become a great creation.
“DJ came with this amazing idea to turn the tempest into something like ‘Star Trek’ and you could just see how those things could be turned around from the original play,” Fetting says. “The whole process of seeing DJ, the costume designers, the set just all come together to make this wonderful show.”
The outdoor theatre is a different environment for the actors to work in, but they say the audience is more lively and entertaining than in a traditional theatre. “It is definitely a more lively audience,” Fetting says.
“They are allowed to laugh and allowed to be loose and more fun because in traditional theatre you just sit still and keep quiet and when something is funny you laugh together, but here you do it on your own.”
The Galt Gardens evening performances run on Thursday and Friday, as well as throughout July 5, 6, 12, 19, 20, 26, 27 and Aug. 2, 3, 9, and 10, starting at 7 p.m.
The show will also be hitting the road to perform in the Coutts Centre in Nanton on July 22 and in the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod on Aug. 4.
Any of the performances that are shut out by weather will be moved to the Gate Church so that a show is never missed.
“The Tempest” is free for everyone to attend and people are encouraged to bring their own blankets, cushions and chairs to enjoy the play even more.