REVIEW: The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers brings new meaning to a classic tale
iPhoto caption: Promotional image from The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers at Shakespeare in the Ruff. Photo courtesy of Shakespeare in the Ruff.
There’s a storm brewing on the Mediterranean Sea.
You may think you know the story of The Tempest, Shakespeare’s shipwrecked saga about wizards, spirits, and nobility on a remote island. But in The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers, playwright Makram Ayache invites new consideration of canonized characters, including Caliban and Prospero, thanks to the introduction of a previously unseen witch: Caliban’s mother, Sycorax.
Ayache’s framing device is a smart one: Sycorax narrates the events of The Tempest in between bookends of what she calls “gossip.” But by the time The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers reaches its final lines, it becomes clear that “gossip” can mean anything from the sexual proclivities of friends and neighbours to the ongoing destruction of the Gaza Strip. Shakespeare in the Ruff hasn’t overtly hooked the production to the conflict in the Middle East, but the piece’s second half repeatedly alludes to the events that have transpired since October 7, 2023.
Beyond the text’s resonance with current events, The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers bears striking dramaturgical resemblance to Ayache’s last play in Toronto, 2023’s The Hooves Belonged to the Deer. Both plays embrace dual narratives, in which two stories unfurl simultaneously and collide in the final breaths of the story. There’s a certain double-edged-ness to that style of storytelling — on the one hand, the moment when those threads bind together in A Witch in Algiers is invigorating and sharp, just as the forked climax was in The Hooves Belonged to the Deer. But for those less familiar with the finer plot points of The Tempest, the first hour or so of A Witch in Algiers may feel like a bit of a marathon, without much extra context to ground the play in its updated circumstances.
Kwaku Okyere’s production is stylish and welcoming, making ample use of the topography of the surrounding park. As is usual for Shakespeare in the Ruff, two trees make a convenient proscenium, and a large sheet marks out a thrusted playing space. Julia Kim’s costumes dance on the cool summer breeze, while Carley Melvin and Wei Qing Tan manage to illuminate even the darkest corners of the secluded green space.
But it’s the performances that make The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers an engaging, complex evening of summer theatre. Muhaddisah brings a maternal desperation to Sycorax that makes the character’s actions feel grounded in a place of love, rather than chaos. As narrator, Muhaddisah relishes in crisp diction and engaging facial expressions, making for a memorable performance.
Naomi Ngebulana emerges as another standout as Ariel. Clad in a one-shouldered catsuit, Ngebulana ably suggests the spry whimsy of the island-born spirit, who in Ayache’s adaptation is also a confidant to Sycorax and surrogate mother to Caliban. Sepehr Reybod as Caliban, too, is easy to watch, fully immersed in the story and never letting on his burning desire to flee the island — until it’s too late.
Miranda and Prospero’s relationship is a tad underdeveloped in this adaptation, but Ron Kennell and Alexia Vassos make a fine father-daughter pair — Vassos in particular is a very strong speaker who never lets Shakespeare’s (or Ayache’s) text get away from her.
The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers closes on August 31 — assuming the best of Toronto weather (a risky assumption, I know), it’s worth the jaunt to the east end to catch this intriguing adaptation. I’m all for interrogations of the “Shakespeare in the park” model of outdoor theatre, and Ayache’s innovation on the Bard’s original play makes a compelling case for audiences to reintroduce themselves to the intricacies of Shakespeare’s writing without languishing in its familiarity. Withrow Park is a lovely space to spend the final breaths of summer — why not with some electric live theatre?
The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers runs until August 31 at Withrow Park. You can learn more about the production here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's senior editor and an award-winning arts journalist with bylines including the New York Times, Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CBC Arts, and Maclean's. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
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