Getting into the spirit
It’s a case of role reversal when CentreStage Productions stage Caliban’s Rebellion on August 23, 24 and 25 at the Lionel Wendt. Shakespeare’s originals from The Tempest find themselves in a bit of a quandary this time around-in this reimagining of the classic there’s a very thin line between the good and the bad. While the dialogue remains the same, Caliban is all about bold theatrics, elaborate dance sequences, hauntingly beautiful music and plenty of comic relief thrown in for good measure.
Bracing for action: The cast of Caliban’s Rebellion. Pix by Indika Handuwala
“It’s physical theatre at its strongest,” says Director Jehan Aloysius who has cast some old and new faces to star in his take on a familiar story. Here they speak about their roles-the traditional and the retake-and acclimatizing to a different brand of Shakespeare.
Prospero
Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, but his title is usurped by his brother Antonio. He and his daughter Miranda land on Caliban’s island and through his vast knowledge Prospero gains control of the spirits of the island to do his bidding.
Caliban, the rightful heir to the island is also forced under his rule. When Prospero realizes there is romance brewing between his precious Miranda and the demonized slave Caliban, he wills a ship with an eligible young man to be wrecked near the island. What he imagines to be his master plan might just turn out to be his undoing though, because the ship’s crew and Caliban have other plans for him.
Laknath Seneviratne is back on stage for the second time around as the colonialist master of Caliban’s island. Laknath finds Caliban’s Prospero not entirely different from Shakespeare’s original, yet there are a few significantly different character traits here –there’s “a very malevolent streak in Prospero.” While Shakespeare’s Prospero is depicted as a rather benevolent master Laknath knows that this Prospero has the inevitable white-man superiority complex. “That’s what eventually gets him in hot water.” This colonial master-slave theme runs strong throughout the entire play-being Sri Lankan, Jehan, his cast and hopefully the audience can relate.
Caliban
The rightful owner of the island, Caliban is also Prospero’s only subject. The native is demonized due to his skin colour and strange dialect but underneath it all beats a fiercely independent heart. Caliban must have freedom at any cost; together with some of the wrecked ship’s crew, he plots to murder Prospero and regain the land that he considers rightfully his.
 Aaron Chitranjan as Caliban |
 Laknath Seneviratne as Prospero |
 Niren Ranasinghe as Stephano |
 Rebecca Munasinghe as Ariel |
Aaron Chitranjan has his first lead role on stage thanks to some hard work, a stroke of luck and a shaved head. There is something about the actor’s stature that will have you instantly imagining him in his element with this role. While he views Prospero as the man who purloined everything close to his heart, Caliban has a bit of a soft spot for Miranda and with this you see a different side to him, says Aaron. The 21-year-old has done plenty of Shakespearean plays in school but says this is an altogether different experience. “The interpretation of it makes you rethink what you know.”
Stephano
Stephano is a consistently drunken butler who comes to the island on board the wrecked ship. Caliban takes him on as a co-conspirator in his plot to murder Prospero. Stephano agrees-but he’s got his own agenda. At the end of the day, Caliban is just another savage-right?
Niren Ranasinghe believes that Stephano is afflicted with the same white-man superiority complex that players. Prospero. Even worse, Stephano is a firm believer in the hierarchy system. “Being a servant himself Stephano thinks it’s quite natural for Caliban to be his slave. So he leads Caliban on by letting him think that he’s only helping him to regain control of the land when in reality Stephano himself wants to become the master.” Despite the predominantly comic nature of the role Stephano actually has his own dark streak, says Niren. “I think it’s interesting, that what is essentially a jester personality becomes this power hungry man willing to dupe another to get what he wants.”
Ariel
Ariel is an island spirit whom Prospero bends to his will after ousting Sycorax. The mischievous Ariel is the source of Prospero’s magical powers, causing the tempest and many of the conspiracies in the play. The character is almost always played by a male actor though its gender and physical form is ambiguous.
Ferdinand and Miranda
Meet Rebecca Munasinghe, Caliban’s embodiment of Ariel. In this version Ariel is a black woman to emphasize the double bondage of black slavery. “The beauty of this play is that all these minor characters have much bigger roles to play,” says Rebecca. “By changing the traditional typecast roles we’ve been given the opportunity to really embrace the character.” Rebecca studied Shakespeare in school so she knows the complexity involved in editing Shakespeare. “I still don’t know how Jehan did it,” she muses. “To take a sub plot and turn it into a full length play-especially with Shakespeare-is incredibly difficult. Not only has he managed to make the script sound sensible, he’s also done something that’s probably never been done before.”
Caliban’s Rebellion, a CentreStage
production goes on the boards at the Lionel Wendt on August 23, 24 and 25. Tickets and boxplan at the Wendt.
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