Quality Shakespeare with Bard and Bourbon’s ‘The Tempest’

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Do you like William Shakespeare? Do you like alcohol? If you do, then you will love Bard and Bourbon’s interpretation of The Tempest. They promise nothing else and deliver little more than well-acted and beautifully produced renditions of The Bard’s work generously doused in bourbon. True to the company’s motto, “Serious Shakespeare, one seriously drunk actor,” at least one actor gets drunk on stage, and the audience is encouraged to drink along for a night of light-hearted fun.

Tenth Street Theatre is the perfect venue for the relatively intimate setting of the show. Before the cast arrives, two imposing bottles of bourbon on the stage set the tone. A simple but efficient décor, made of boxes, books and ropes, represents the distant island where the story unfolds. The sorcerer Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda (Rayne Kleinofen), have both have lived on this island since Prospero’s brother, Antonio (Maggie Marks), betrayed him to steal his dukedom. As the story starts, Antonio and the royal family of Naples, along with several servants, get stranded in Prospero’s domain.

As Prospero, Joel Kopischke offers a solid, serious performance, but the humor of the show quickly overtakes him. Ro Spice-Kopischke and Madeline Wakley, as buffoonish servants Stephano and Trinculo, steal the stage with their own, inconsequential adventure. They discover Caliban (Ashley Retzlaff), an unhappy servant of Prospero, and they all set off on a drunken quest to defeat the sorcerer.

Adding to the excellent acting, the humor is helped by bold decisions from director Samantha Martinson, who isn’t afraid to stray from classical versions of Shakespeare’s play. While characters deliver their monologues, the rest of the cast remains onstage and in character, giving the audience something to look at to keep the show engaging. There is a fair share of physical comedy that might not have been planned by The Bard but enhances the experience. Sound effects—such as the xylophone that the spirit Ariel (Grace DeWolff) constantly plays with, rainsticks and metallic sheets—make The Tempest uniquely immersive.

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Through May 27 at the Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. 10th St. For tickets, visit bardandbourbon.com.