CBeebies The Tempest

A magical island, a stormy shipwreck and a royal mystery! Following on from CBeebies A Midsummer Night's Dream, Steven Kynman is back as William Shakespeare, this time with backstage help from Swashbuckle's Captain Captain. Andy Day takes on the fantastical Shakespearean role of the island monster Caliban, while Justin Fletcher is the king's comical jester, Trinculo. With Patrick Robinson as Prospero and Annette Badland as his good friend Gonzala, CBeebies The Tempest brings together an amazing cast to perform one of Shakespeare's best-loved plays. Set on an island not far from Italy, the play tells the story of Prospero, one-time Duke of Milan, who lives with his daughter Miranda, their monster servant Caliban and a magical, musical and mostly invisible sprite called Ariel. Having been sent away from Milan 12 years earlier by his own brother, Sebastian, and King Alonso, Prospero has spent his time on the island practising his magic, studying and plotting for a time when he can take revenge. That moment has arrived. All his enemies are aboard a ship sailing near the island and it is the perfect time for Prospero's plan. Creating a magical storm with his sprite Ariel, Prospero causes a shipwreck, landing the king and his lords, ladies, butler and jester all over the island. Slowly Prospero weaves his magic to fulfil his plan, with Ariel carrying out many of his tasks, before eventually forgiving all those who did him wrong. Filmed at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, in front of a live invited audience, CBeebies The Tempest is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for families and preschoolers, with the most famous moments from Shakespeare's original text surrounded by magic, music and mischief.