Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

The British are coming

London Stage

 

 

A classic Shakespearian romance, “The Tempest”, is coming to life at UTSA. Performed by actors from The London Stage, this tale of sorcery, conspiracy, and romance will be a performance not to be missed. The Actors From the London Stage are notorious for casting only five actors to play multiple roles and for the use of minimal props, ensuring an interesting and fast paced performance.

The touring Shakespeare company is in its 35th year and boasts actors from companies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

The Actors From the London Stage visit approximately 16 to 20 universities a year with the goal of interacting with students and sharing their knowledge of Shakespeare and the stage. The classically trained Actors From The London Stage will be visiting a number of classes at UTSA. During their visit, the Actors From the London Stage will help make Shakespeare exciting, available and affordable for college students. 

“The Tempest” is one of Shakespeare’s last plays. Prospero, the protagonist, is a sorcerer who lives on an enchanted isle with his daughter, Miranda. Through sorcery, Prospero summons a storm to wreck the ship of his enemies. As his enemies wash ashore on the enchanted isle, plots of murder ensue between the shipwrecked men. Magic, marriage, proposals and murder fills the island as Prospero gets his revenge.

 Dr. Mark Bayer, a professor at UTSA who currently teaches Shakespeare: The Later Plays, and Comedy on the Renaissance Stage, said, “By that point in [Shakespeare’s] career he had a pretty thorough understanding of what art can do and how art can function.”

A specialist in the study of Shakespeare and long-term cultural authority of Shakespeare’s plays, Dr. Bayer stressed the advantages of seeing The London Stage Actors while they are at UTSA.

“One of the things I try to talk about in class is how we predominantly and inevitably think of Shakespeare as something to be read,” Bayer said. “But, that was never Shakespeare’s intention; he wrote the plays to be preformed.”

Dr. Bayer continued, “We don’t have professional theatre that often in San Antonio. This is a chance for people to see high quality theatre.”

Tickets can be purchased at Roadrunner Express in the UC Paseo or at the door before the performance.

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