The Royal Shakespeare Company’s extraordinary new production of “The Tempest” makes its Sedona big-screen debut Thursday, March 23. The Sedona International Film Festival hosts the high-definition premiere of William Shakespeare’s renowned play from its home in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Simon Russell Beale returns to the RSC after 20 years to play Prospero in a production directed by artistic director Gregory Doran.
“The Tempest” tells the story of a man, waiting on a distand island. Robbed of his position, power and wealth, his enemies have left him in isolation. But this is no ordinary man, and this no ordinary island. Prospero is a magician, able to control the very elements and bend nature to his will.
When a sail appears on the horizon, he reaches out across the ocean to the ship that carries the men who wronged him. Creating a vast magical storm he wrecks the ship and washes his enemies up on the shore. When they wake, they find themselves lost on a fantastical island where nothing is as it seems.
In a partnership with Intel, the Royal Shakespeare Company uses today’s most advanced technology in a bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s magical play, creating an unforgettable theatrical experience.
The Royal Shakespeare Company is one of the world’s best-known theatre ensembles. The company focuses on works by Shakespeare, other Renaissance dramatists and contemporary writers. The troupe is dedicated to attracting and inspiring the best artists both on stage and behind the scenes to produce performances of the highest standard. Wherever you experience the troupe, you experience work that is made in Shakespeare’s home town.
Shakespeare has been performed and celebrated in Stratford for centuries and the troupe has trained generations of the best theatre makers since the company was founded in 1961. The Royal Shakespeare Company pioneers contemporary approaches to Shakespeare’s plays and also stages the work of those who inspired him and the work of today’s playwrights.
“The Tempest” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Thursday, March 23, at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15, or $12.50 for Film Festival members. Tickets are available in advance at the Sedona International Film Festival office or by calling 282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. SR 89A in West Sedona. For more information, visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.
