Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Back in 2000

This is the Tempest that we did back in 2000 for the Millenium Project
Nonda Chatterjee – Project leader
Calcutta International School, 18 Lee Road, Calcutta 700 020, West Bengal, India

The Tempest performed on 1 April 2000 at the public theatre in English

The Tempest, Scene 1. The Island before Prospero’s cell

Enter Prospero and Miranda

Mir If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them
A brave vessel, who had no doubt
Some noble creatures in her
Dashed all to pieces

Pro Be collected: tell your piteous heart
There’s no harm done

Mir I pray you, sir
For still tis beating in my mind, your reason
For raising this storm?

Pro Know this far forth
By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune
Hath mine enemies brought to this shore
And by my presence and the knowledge of this ancient land
I find my zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious star
But thou art inclined to sleep; tis a good dullness
And give it way

[Miranda sleeps]

Come away servant, come
I am ready now
Approach my Ariel. Come.

[Enter Ariel]

Ari All hail, illustrious Sahib, Hail
I come to answer thy great pleasure
Be it to fly, to swim, to dive into fire
To ride on the curl’d clouds
To thy strong bidding task Ariel
And all his quality.

Pro Hast thou, spirit
Perform’d to point the tempest I bade thee?

Ari To every article.

Pro But are they, Ariel , safe

Ari Not a hair perished. The king’s son
I landed by himself
Whom I left coating the air with wet sighs

Pro Ariel, thy charge
Exactly is performed, but there’s more work

Ari Is there more toil?
Let me remember thee what thou hast promis’d
Which is not yet perform’d me

Pro How now, moody?
What is’t it thou canst demand?

Ari My liberty.

Pro Before the time be out? No more!

Ari Remember, I have done thee worthy service,
Serv’d without grudge or grumbling

Pro Dost thou forget
From what torment I did free thee?

Ari I do not. Sir.

Pro Hast thou forgot the evil deity, Kali
Who with foul ways had bound thee
And this ancient land?

Ari No. Sir.

Pro Thou hast, where was she born?
Speak, tell me.

Ari In the ignorance of the mind
In the weakness of the body
In the darkness of the soul.

Pro This dark-eyed hag with greedy
Pendulous tongue was heavy with child, was she not?

Ari She was.

Pro And did she not enslave thee to
Serve her abhorred son?

Ari Yes, Kaliban, her son.
Pro And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate
To act her earthly and abhorred commands
She did confine thee in a cloven banyan
From whence I did let thee out.

Ari I thank you, dear master.

Pro I found thee crawling and I did bid thee walk;
I found thee caterwauling and I did bid thee talk,
Thee and thy people in this forgotten land of Ind.

Ari You did, master.

Pro I brought thee into knowledge out of ignorance
I brought thee into light out of darkness
I brought thee into truth from lies.

Ari You did ... but your knowledge,
Your light and your truth,
Not mine, not ours.

Pro So, thou murmur’st ... I will
Rend another banyan and peg
Thee in its knotty entrails ...

Ari Pardon, master ... you taught
Me and mine magic, but did
We not teach you wisdom?

Pro I’ll manacle thy neck and feet together
Sea-water shalt thou drink ..

Ari Hush, noble master ... cast
Your mind back awhile
Look on this land and
You shall see signs all
Around of your great Art;
The train that whizzes by,
The plane that lifts its wings in the air,
The dark chimneys belching
Smoke
The tall edifice that pierces
The very breast of the sky

Pro Are you not grateful?
You would not speak thus, before.

Ari We are indeed. But where
Learnt you the lore you
Spoke but a moment past?
Only, it is a lore but half-learnt.

Pro You impudent ...

Ari Abate speech, noble master
And hearken-

(in the background the sloka asadoma satgamya is heard)

You hear? From evil unto virtue,
From darkness unto light
From death unto eternal spiritual freedom.
That is the language we spoke
Before Kali did imprison us.

Pro And from that prison did I release thee.

Ari You did ... but now my land
And I desire a greater boon:
Liberty without a price –
Which in thy newly-found wisdom
You canst not deny.

Pro And I will not. Do my bidding,
And after two days I will discharge thee.

Ari What shall I do ? say what.

Pro Go make thyself like a nymph
Of the waters, invisible to every
Sight but mine and thine.

[Exit Ariel]

Awake, dear heart, awake; thou hast slept well.

Mir The strangeness of the storm put heaviness in me.

Pro Shake it off. Come on. We’ll visit Kaliban
My slave who never yields us kind answer.

Mir Tis a villain, Sir, I do not love to look on.

Pro But we cannot miss him. He does
Make our fire, fetch our wood and
Serves us in offices that profit us.
What ho! Slave! Kaliban!

Kal (within) There’s wood enough within.

Pro Come forth, I say; there’s other business for thee
Come, thou tortoise!

[enter Kailiban]

Kal My mother’s curses fall on thy head, Prospero,
And may it blister thee all o’er.

Pro For this, be sure, tonight thou shalt have cramps.

Kal This land is mine by Kali, my mother,
Which thou tak’st from me
When thou cam’st first
Thou strok’st me and made much of me:
Would’st give me water with berries in it,
And teach me how to name the
Biggest light and how the less,
That burn by day and night;
And then I loved thee,
And showed thee all the qualities of this land:
The fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and fertile
Curs’d be I that did so!
Now you sty me in this hard rock,
Whiles you keep from me the rest o’th’land.

Pro Thou most lying slave, whom stripes may move
Not kindness! I have used thee,
Filth as thou art, with human care,
Lodged thee in mine own cell,
Till thou did’st seek to violate
The honour of my child.

Kal Oho, Oho! Would’t had been done,
Thou did’st prevent me: I have peopl’d else
This land with Kalibans.

Pro Abhorred slave! I pitied thee,
Took pains to make thee speak,
When thou did’st not, savage,
Know thine own meaning, but
Would’st gable like a thing most brutish.
But thy vile race, though thou did’st learn,
Had that in’t which good natures
Could not abide to be with.
Therefore wast thou deservedly
Confined into this rock.

Kal You taught me language, and I know how to curse.
The red plague of Kali rid thee
For learning me thy language!

Pro Hag-seed, hence! Or I’ll rack thee with old cramps!

Kal No. Pray thee [Aside] I must obey.
His art is of such power,
It would control my dam’s god, Shiva,
And make a vassal of him.
I will bide my time ...

[exit Kaliban. Enter Ariel, invisible, playing and singing. Ferdinand following]

Ari Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands:
Curtsied when you have and kiss’d, -
The wild waves whist, -
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.

Fer Where should this music be? I’th’air or th’ earth?
|t sounds no more.

Ari Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made:
Those are pearls that were his eyes ...

Fer The ditty does remember my drowned father.
This is no mortal sound that the Earth owes.

Pro The fringed curtains of thine eye advance,
And say what thou seest yond.

Mir What is it? A spirit?
Believe me Sir, it carries a brave form,
But ‘tis a spirit.

Pro No, wench; it eats and sleeps and hath such senses
As we have. This gallant thou seest
Was in the wreck, hast lost his fellows,
And strains to find them.

Mir I might call him divine; for nothing in natural
I ever saw so noble.

Pro [Aside] It goes on, I see, as my soul prompts it.
Spirit, fine spirit! I’ll free thee within
Two days for this.

Fer Most sure, the goddess on whom these airs attend!
Vouchsafe my prayer. O you wonder!
If you be maid or no?

Mir No wonder. Sir; but certainly a maid.

Fer My language, heavens!
I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where ‘tis spoken.

Pro a word, good Sir;
I fear you have done yourself some wrong:
A word ...

Mir Why speaks my father so ungently?
This the first man I every truly sigh’d for,
Pity move my father to be inclined my way!

Fer O, if a virgin, and your affection not gone forth
I will make you queen of my castle.

Pro Soft Sir: a word yet!
[aside] This swift business I must uneasy make,
Lest too light winning make the prize light.
Hast thou put thyself upon this island as a spy
To win it from me, the lord on’t?

Fer No, as I am a man.

Mir There is nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.

Pro Speak not you for him, he is a traitor.
Follow me.

Fer No! I will resist till mine enemy has more power

[he draws his gun but cannot move]

Pro Put thy gun up Traitor! You make
A show, but do not strike!
Come on; obey.

Fer All my burdens are but light to me
Might I but through my prison, once a day
Behold this maid.

Pro [Aside] it works! Thou hast done well, Ariel!
[to Ferninand] Follow me
Miranda, Speak not to him,

[Exeunt]


Scene 2

Another part of the Island

[enter Stephano, singing, a bottle in hand]

Ste I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die ashore, -

Well, here’s my comfort. [drinks]
The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
The gunner, and his mate,
Lov’d Mall, Meg. And Marian, and Margery,
But none of us car’d for Kate ..

[Enter Kailiban]

Ste What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon’s with salvages and
men of Ind?

Kal I have no evil intentions towards thee ... methinks we could be of use to thee.

[Enter Trinculo]

Tri If thou canst help us escape this vile land, that will be use enough.

Kal Why should thou seek to escape when thou might’st rule here?

Ste Speak plain man! We are but common sailors ... how can ...

Kal No man’s fate is fixed ... the fault lies not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings.

Tri This is strange talk for one of thy colour and visage.

Kal Prick mine arms, my blood is as red as thine ... nay redder!

Ste I will grant thee that ... Now of thy counsel ...

Kal This land lies under the spell of a man of thy colour and visage ... we seek freedom from this thraldom.

Tri We ...?

Kal I and my brothers.

Ste How many in all?

Kal Four ... with thy help we could overpower one old man and his daughter.

Tri What is our gain in this? How can we be of help?

Kal You carry strange weapons, unknown on this land. Prospero hath no means to counter those.

Ste And after ...? What is it that we gain from this enterprise?

Kal This fertile land is thine to rule, to use ... you would be kings ... every inch!

Tri You would sell your land for this?

Kal Miranda, Prospero’s beautiful wench.

Ste For a wench thou would’st betray thy country?

Kal Do not speak till thou hast set eyes on Miranda.

Ste And what if we take her for ourselves?

Kal The curse of Kali will fall on thy head. Thou will’st walk in circles through bog, den and mire till thou perisheth. The cheel will pick thy flesh from thy bones, the vulture will peck out thine eyes, thy bones will be bleached by the strong sun of Ind!

Tri Say not so, gentle Kaliban, we will do thy behest. We will follow thy lead.

Kal Then come ... I will unfold my plan.

[Exit Stephano and Trinculo]

Kal [Aside] These be not sprites, but mortal men,
And fools! ‘Tis thy moment, O son of Kali.#
Seize it! Avenge thy people, secure thy mother’s forgiveness.
The same desperate thirst for power, for dominion
Over the lands and minds of strange men, as thyself.
Doth impel Prospero and all his kin.
Kneel to these men; grovel; swear
To be their true subject. Tempt them
With thy servitude; and soon shalt they rebel
Against their own kind: vie with Prospero
For supreme command of this isle –
And, as fire drives out fire,
Each shall the other destroy.
Is that not the lesson thy master himself
By example, though unwitting, taught?
Doth he not divide Ariel and Kaliban
And by such perfidious agency, rule them both?

[exit Kaliban, Enter Ariel]

Ari These men from the ship ... what have they to do with Kaliban? I like not this, the colour of this friendship I will follow and discover the nature of this plan.

[exit Ariel, Enter Prospero, Miranda and Ferdinand]

Fer Gentle sir, do you trust me, I desire but the boon to worship at the lovely Miranda’s feet.

Pro In my presence thou mayest pay homage, but on the pain of thy life, thou will’st not seek her out alone.

Mir [Aside] My father is strange, who has heard of maid and man courting under a father’s eye?
[To Ferdinand] Come, gentle Sir, let us rest here a while [They converse in whispers]

Pro My mind is perplexed and divides itself
Three ways to the future. Shall I trust
Miranda to her swain and let them depart
To our land/ Should I with them repair/
Or shall I embrace fair Ind forever/
Methinks ‘tis possible that without his youth,
Mecurial Miranda must turn again to Ariel,
Whilst me and mine should rule forever this magic soil.
I should have power, wealth, land;but
Homage uneasy, enforced. Eternal vigilance –
The price of this having. Nay, in my dotage
I should not have love, nor company, but
Sullen faces, vexatious eyes beset me.
Nor should I ever hear the philomel
Chant her sweet note, see the mighty tree
Don its russet mantle, watch the bluebells
Flood the valley; nor, of a winter morn,
Have a robin hop onto mine arm for a crumb!
Could I live here whilst my hert upbraideth
Me for being here ...
I will speak to Miranda ... Miranda, come hither ... alone.

Mir [Rising and moving in} Your pleasure, good Sir.

Pro Methinks Miranda that thou are as changeable as a chameleon! How do you love Ferdinand now,when a week erst, you loved Ariel and thought to make him your mate

Mir Why dost thou pine after wine to this ay ... is not toddy good enough for thy palate?

Pro Be that apt analogy?

Mir Think thou. Sir, wine and love both stir the blood, but not all wine, nor all love the same mettle have.

Pro You are right, wench ... kindness is of the essence. Call forth thy swain. We will make a wedding feast the likes of which this land hast not seen.

[Enter Ariel}

Ari Oh Miranda, thou hast spoken? Thjne was the courage and mine the cowardice. Canst thou forgive?

Mir [gently] It is I who must beg forgiveness, Ariel ... for it is I who have broken faith.

Fer Nay, gentle Miranda, blame not thyself, but who has this change of heart wrought.

Ari I comprehend not the tenor of thy speech

Pro Ariel, likeness is all, and Miranda turneth to the man from her land as a flower doth
Turn to the sun.

Ari The friendship of years hath lost out against a sennight sojourn? What game of dice is this?

Mir Not dice, but life, my friend. Thou must a new mate seek, and forgive me.

Ari I will ... nay, I must. But will I also forgo my freedom?

Pro No, Ariel. I too will return to mine own land and seek my last refuge in its sacred soil. Thou,
With thy new learned lore, will this land rule, a free and brave man.

Ari There is a black-eyed maiden, with a waist like a wasp, who hath pulled at my heart-strings.
I will not deny this.

Pro Bravo! A double wedding shall we celebrate, ere we depart our native land. Ariel, put Kaliban to
Work, he and his brothers must complete preparations, set by a store or provision for a thousand
Guests.

[Enter Kaliban, three brothers, Trinculo and Stephano with guns]

Kal Not so fast, my one-time master!

Pro What be the meaning of this outrage, mooncalf?

Kal Dost thou address thy son-in-law as mooncalf? At thy peril, Prospero!

Ari [Very quietly] Thy intention, Kaliban, I have overhead. Speak!

Kal These men be my fiends .. they will overpower Prospero and give me my heart’s desire –
Miranda.

Fer Dastard, soil not that holy name with thy foul tongue.

Kal Thou romantic fool! Thy milk and water manhood will not satisfy Miranda. She needs me ...
Ask her!

Pro Is this true, Miranda?

Mir [Mesmerised] In this dark land, the land of Kali, mysterious and shadowy, Kaliban indeed,
Stirred my blood, more than Ariel ever did!

Kal Hear well, whey-face!

Pro This is the price I must pay for my misdeeds, for the enslavement of this land, for the torment
Of Kaliban, his brothers and Ariel!

Kal Say, Ariel, wilt thou join in my triumph?

Ari Triumph? What thou thinkest is a beginning, is but the end of a dream. Let the white man
Depart in peace of his native land ... then will we create a new Ind!

Kal Never! Miranda is mine!

Mir No longer, Kaliban! Ferdinand hath my heat now.

Kal I care not for thy heart ... thy body is all I seek. Brothers, friends, advance!

Pro Kaliban, thou thinkest a few borrowed guns will overpower me? Do not forget, I
Invented them! Watch!

[choreographed movement with Prospero, Miranda, Ferdinand and Ariel at the centre. Kaliban and his three brothers around them. They attempt to advance, are repelled. Conflict conveyed through music which builds to a crescendo, begins to fade, Kaliban and men fall exhausted]

Pro So much for defectors and traitors! Ariel, my friend, nay – the mate of my soul, thou alone hast
Understood the torment within my soul. I cannot bear to leave thee and this green jewel in my
Crown.

Ari Time and tide waits for no man, wise master, as you so well know. Our ways must part, but our
Hearts remain entwined together.

Pro Call thy wench, we will part on a festive note.

Ari Come, Naina – thee, and thy friends, Rise, Kaliban and share in the festivities.

Kal Never! The curse of Kali fall on thy heads forever and ever! [exit]

Ari The power of Kali is broke, never to return. How about Kaliban’s friends? Will you come?

Together We will, to dance and sing at this delightful double wedding!

Ari Double! Will Miranda and Ferdinand join us?

Mir Indeed, we will. We shall be married by the rites of this, my foster land.

Pro And I shall give both brides away.

[Enter Naina with maidens, and the wedding is celebrated in dance form to Indian music]

Prospero’s Epilogue

Now my charms are all o’er thrown
And what strength I have is mine own
For neither magic nor colonial power
Hath ever been man’s rightful dower
Puny, small, fickle, yet wise
To know his faults in varied guise
Is man’s true strength, his great power
His adamant citadel, granite tower
The millennium beckons, the spirit must rise
And fly untrammelled by selfish ties
As the phoenix from its ashes doth fly
Into a clear and glorious sky
So, from the debris of a century old
The spirit of man in a chariot of gold
Will, with the bard for company
Soar into the future, free!

Posted by Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 11 Apr 11 11:31 am