Tempest and All: Wellington’s Summer Shakespeare is a Triumph

Words by Jamie Clumpas

Wellington’s Summer Shakespeare has returned to the Botanic Gardens for another season after two years of Covid-19 disruption. Just their luck; Cyclone Gabrielle arrived in the midst of their 2023 season. While Pōneke avoided the worst, the performers had to cancel four straight days of shows. 

Despite the disruption from a real-life tempest, when they finally got on stage, Summer Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by Megan Evans, was an absolute triumph.

An aptly storm-swept Botanic Gardens Dell stage provided a perfect setting for the play that is set on a recently storm-ravaged island. Trees rustling, birds chirping, and a characteristically-cool Wellington breeze brought every member of the audience into the setting, with little suspension of disbelief required.

It was ultimately the performances of the wonderful Summer Shakespeare actors that pulled the whole thing together. In the first few scenes, some cobwebs from the five-day hiatus definitely showed in the actors' performances. But by the end of Act One, the company had found a groove, and they told a brilliant, hilarious story. 

The chemistry between all of the actors was clear and brought the audience right into the centre of the unfolding story. In particular, the drunken trio of Trinculo, Stephano, and Caliban (Anna Kate Sutherland, Philip Nordt, and Sean Farrell) were highlights at every moment. This was easily the most I can recall ever laughing at two sailors and a fish-demon. Anna Secker’s Miranda was also effortlessly hilarious, and she had perfect chemistry with both her father Prospero (India Worsnop) and husband Ferdinand (Sebastian Kerebs). 

Susan Williams’ performance as Gonzalo also both stood out—and didn’t—for all the right reasons. Susan is vision-impaired, but they performed to the same excellent standard as every other member of the cast. While their performance was inspiring, their mere presence on stage doesn’t need to be. They were simply a good actor in a good play. I was left questioning why they are one of the only disabled people I have seen on stage, as it was evidently no obstacle to making a great play. Susan’s performance sent a clear message that theatre directors need to wake up and realise that vision impairments or disabilities are not a disqualifier to a great cast member. 

Excellent uses of song and dance brought the whole spectacle together, with a joyous dance number ending the night on a triumphant note. Though Summer Shakespeare will be over by the time this article is published, these actors don’t live in hibernation summer-to-summer. They’re in the local productions and Fringe shows that we see posters for every day. 

I cannot urge readers more to get out and see theatre like this throughout this year, especially in Fringe season. It’s only with people filling seats that Wellington’s art scene can continue to be as diverse and high-quality as The Tempest show was.