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ED2011 4/5 Reviews ED2011 Theatre Reviews
The Tempest (Edinburgh International Festival / Mokwha Repertory Company)
By Poppy Rowley | Published on Wednesday 31 August 2011
This is a pleasant Eastern take on the familiar Shakespearian comedy. Unfortunately, the beauty of Shakespeare’s script is lost in its Korean retelling. The subtitled English means that half the play is spent reading the translation rather than watching the action. However, a culmination of smoke machines, puppetry, masks and beautiful traditional music effectively create the magical island where the tale of the Tempest is told. Perhaps the biggest problem is the difference in humour between cultures; here, a British audience may be hard-pressed to utter more than a few chuckles. Despite this, it is a well-executed, exciting and imaginative piece that is worth seeing in its own right rather than as an adaptation of Shakespeare.
The King’s Theatre, 13 – 16 Aug, 7.30pm, prices vary, eifpp
tw rating [4/5]
[pr]