Dorothy Allison and Dagoberto Gilb: comparative analysis

¶ … Tempest -- the Blockbuster

A remake of "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare.

The tropical island of Palau. Time Period: Today.

Note to Director: "The Tempest" is just an ancient story of survival of the fittest and class lines. I see this reproduced on the big screen as a "Survivor" imitator, with the castaways on Prospero's island scheming behind each other's backs toward their own selfish means. Prospero bought his own island in the Pacific to plan his run for President in 2012, but his plans are put on hold when these "survivors" wash up on shore after a cruise ship mishap. Witness Caliban, who hopes to murder Prospero and take the island that his scheming uncle sold, back into this own hands. The shipwreck survivors Trinculo and Stephano help egg Caliban on and make a pact with him, essentially creating a tribe of their own and setting themselves up against the other tribes forming up on the island. Setting this modern-day remake in the lush jungle landscape of Palau helps the audience understand the parallels between the two stories, and creates an exotic and lush atmosphere, similar to what the original castaways might have experienced. The magic of the story will remain intact as Prospero continues to manipulate and urge Ariel to oversee the survivors and create some modern-day miracles on the island, such as appearing as one or another of the survivors and helping to vote another off the island.

For audiences to truly identify with this play, the setting needs to be understandable, and the time period needs to be modern. That way, the action and dialogue can be updated, so people really understand what is going on. They also need characters and a setting they can identify with, and since so many people watch "Survivor," they should recognize the setting and understand the implications of how the characters will relate to each other. Ideas of the magic and mystery to come should be evident in the beginning, perhaps with Ariel turning into a "tinkerbell" type figure that people can relate to. Early on, the power struggle between Prospero, Caliban, the uncle who sold the island, and the shipwrecked cruise passengers will become evident, especially when one of the passengers turns out to have his own aspirations for president.

Ideas for Casting: Caliban. Jamie Foxx, no doubt. Jamie can be made up to be more "dark and grotesque," and his acting abilities would make him an excellent choice for Caliban. Jamie can be raw or refined, and he would need these qualities to portray Caliban. While some actors might see this as a minor role, I think Jamie would see it for what it is -- the backbone of the piece. Caliban is a little bit slave, a little bit master, and emotional and eloquent throughout. Sometimes he is earthy, like when he talks about the beauty of the island, and sometimes he is eloquent, like when he talks to Prospero about how he stole his island from him. He is greedy, can be manipulative and tacky (like when he thinks of raping Miranda), but most of all he is important to the action of the entire play. He needs a strong actor able to carry his role and his many facets, and Foxx seems to be the perfect man for the job. His performance in "Ray" shows that he can throw himself into his character, and change according to time and circumstances. He would need to do that here, for sure.

Caliban is a slave, which might be a problem for the actor. He is also a drunkard in some scenes, calling for understanding and a physical presence, too. Foxx has the physique necessary for this assignment, too. He could certainly carry off wearing a loin-cloth and cloak, as the wood-carrying scene seems to require. He is a master of both physical and mental acting, and that would be important with this character, who can be both brutal and endearing. There could be a problem with Foxx. Caliban requires an actor who can be both commanding and very subservient. He is fearful of "spirits." "Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me" (Shakespeare 77, 15), and he offers to lick Trinculo's foot simply for a drink. "I will kiss thy foot" (Shakespeare 85, 155). Whoever plays Caliban has to represent many personalities. Strong enough to conspire, and meek enough to follow, and Foxx seems like the best.

Trinculo: This is a minor part, and so, an infamous actor probably wouldn't want to do it. However, the part has some bright spots. Trinculo could be shown bravely "swimming to shore like a duck" (Shakespeare 85, 133), setting the stage for the action to come. He should be good-looking, and not too smart, but not too ignorant either. Perhaps a good choice here would be singer Nick Lachey. He would certainly appeal to younger audiences, and since much of the time he appears on stage, he has to appear drunk, he might be appealing as a good-looking, yet brooding drunkard. He also has to seem greedy and scheming, yet a survivor and it seems if Nick can survive marriage to Jessica, he can survive about anything.