Review: The Tempest and Related Comestibles at Round House Theatre
The magic of Round House’s current production goes far beyond the mere conjuring of a vasty storm at sea by a master of the very elements. No, this Tempest keeps the viewers amazed and amused by a constant stream of stage magic, harmonizing songs and fabulous acrobatics, all seamlessly integrated into the original text of the play. And all this is enhanced after perhaps indulging in some well-curated victuals.
Ever since Round House’s renovation added a café to its lobby, it has developed food and drink programs which complement each current production. For The Tempest, the Fourth Wall Bar & Café offers choices ranging from the Mediterranean (Prospero is Duke of Milan) to England (well, duh, Shakespeare). A tasting menu, served and described to us by Food and Beverage Manager Frank Manganello, gave us the chance to try several of the dishes and drinks.
We tried a dish of olives (meant to be a drink nibble, nothing special), Seasonal Roasted Vegetables, Kale and Chickpea Soup, and Beef Wellington. We finished with chocolate chip cookies, a fresh-baked staple of the café, no matter the current production!
The best of these was the Tuscan-style soup. It had just the right proportion of kale and chickpeas, nicely seasoned. The Beef Wellington, which is classically prepared with beef fillet topped with duxelles and/or pate, and wrapped in puff pastry, lacked the fillet. It could have benefitted by an accompanying sauce.
The special drinks developed for The Tempest showed more touches of magic than the food. Tempest in a Teapot, composed of Beefeater gin, Pierre Ferrand curaçao, earl grey tea, lemon, and vanilla, was served in a fine china teapot, smoke pouring from its spout. It came with a delicate teacup for decanting. Mr. Manganello explained that the inspiration derived from London fog as well as Tuscan magic.
The tip-off for the prestidigitation involved in the Sleight of Hand (Tito’s vodka, butterfly pea flower, lemon, simple syrup) was the butterfly pea flower. I was aware that it changes color with a change of pH level, and so it did. It arrived blue. Adding the cloudy white contents of a small pitcher resulted in a mauvy-pink concoction. Both these drinks were very tasty, as well as entertaining.
Served with the cookies, my favorite tipple of the night was revealed to be “Card Trick” Ale. Here’s how it’s described by Round House’s website:
We’re pleased to announce a special collaboration with our friends at Astro Lab Brewing, who helped us create a truly magical brew for this show: “CARD TRICK” Ale, a delightful black IPA double dry hopped with El Dorado, Centennial, and Mosaic. Drink up, it’s a limited time offering. Cheers!
Would the drinks menu upstage the play? Assuredly not! The production mixed the charm of Shakespeare’s text with Teller’s captivating stage magic, a fabulous interpretation of the “monster” Caliban by Pilobolus, and the music of Tom Waits.
I would not have imagined that the classic stage illusions of the Twister Box and the Levitating Lady, among others, would work as well as they do here. Combined with the amazing card skills of Nate Dendy’s Ariel, the isle’s ambient “sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not,” are brought vividly to the stage.
Music is provided by a 4-person band on the upper level. Vocals and percussion (including sound effects!) realize Shakespeare’s intentions for a production filled with music. The Tom Waits songs don’t mimic Elizabethan airs, but are fine replacements for them.
The acrobatic movements of the “monstrous” Caliban (Hassiem Muhammad and Ryan Sellers), courtesy of Pilobolus, never fail to mesmerize. In fact, if I have one criticism of this production, it’s that at times, there’s too much action on stage to follow all of it. I watched in constant fear of missing something.
Never mind. Go see it! And get a drink before the show!
The Tempest at Round House Theatre in collaboration with the Folger Theatre through January 15, 2023.
