Christiana Rose on The Garden Suburb Theatre’s open-air masque of wonder

Freya Carroll as Ariel in The Garden Suburb Theatre's production of The Tempest standing on a tree stump — Freya Carroll as Ariel

The Garden Suburb Theatre’s open-air production of The Tempest, directed by Teresa Poland, brings Shakespeare’s final play to life with imaginative flair and engaging performances. Set in the leafy surroundings of Hampstead Garden Suburb, this production strikes a fine balance between reverence for the text and playful innovation, delivering an enchanting evening under the warm summer sky.

Fiona White is compelling as Prospera, commanding the stage with thoughtful intensity and gravitas. Her portrayal captures both the character’s mystical power and deep human vulnerability, anchoring the production with emotional depth.

In an act of fortune, a red admiral butterfly, distinctive for its black colour, orange stripe and white dots, landed upon Prospera’s finger at the point of the opening sequence. Consumed in summoning the storm and shipwreck, this moment brought an immediate sense of natural magic to the action.

Opposite her, Ari-Miyuki Kondylis gave a fresh and sincere performance as Miranda, imbuing the character with curiosity and youthful innocence.

Isabel Barbuk’s Alonsa was strikingly dignified, giving the gender-swapped Queen of Naples a nuanced moral core. Mark Overall as Sebastian and Clare Janew as Antonia made a calculated yet mischievous duo, relishing their schemes with playful precision and a sharp sense of rhythm.

As the romantic lead Ferdinand, James Clarke brought clarity, charm and warmth, creating openness with Kondylis. But the real comic highlight came from Saria Babiker as a Bristolian Trincula and Vicki Browning as the vibrant Stephana. Their antics were a crowd-pleasing delight, with excellent timing and a strong sense of physical comedy.

Daryl Hurst’s Caliban was approached with an open and earthy performance, by straddling the line between monster and man with introspection. Freya Carroll’s Ariel was wonderfully ethereal, with graceful and charming vocals, gentle, whimsical movement and a serene presence which conveyed both servitude and subtle rebellion.

Visually, the show benefitted from clever use of low lighting, to enhance rather than detract from the beautiful outdoor space, particularly glorious as the sun set in act two, with a circle of fairy lights lending a magical touch to the supernatural elements.

The supporting spirits, with Pablo Gomez Rodriguez as Iris and Meredith Heinrich as Ceres, had a modern styling of fluorescent hair and pranced through the audience. They committed to bringing the masque scenes to vibrant life, creating an atmosphere of rapid activity.

Director Teresa Poland and Assistant Director Sarah Overall’s hand is evident in the tight ensemble work and well-paced transitions. The script has been appropriately edited down which provided a welcome total running time of two hours, including an interval. Acoustically the dialogue was clear, with commitment of the company to project well in the open space.

The Tempest by The Garden Suburb Theatre by is a joyful, imaginative production which makes excellent use of its stunning and serene open-air setting. Shakespeare with heart, humour, and a hint of midsummer magic.

4 stars.

The Garden Suburb Theatre’s ‘The Tempest’ runs at Little Oak Wood Open Air Theatre, Addison Way, NW11 6QS from Friday 20th June 2025 – Saturday 28th June

Ticket link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/gardensuburbtheatre/the-tempest/e-ddmomm

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