A Tempest by Aimé Césaire

Introduction

Predictably, A Tempest follows the same plot as The Tempest, but it also invites its readers and audiences to examine the imperialist sentiments latent in the original by highlighting the experiences of Caliban and Ariel and re-casting them as “a mulatto slave” (Ariel), and “a black slave” (Caliban). Césaire specifies that this adaptation is made “for a Black Theatre,” which is not a place I am likely to ever work for, but I think this adaptation has incredible value in a classroom setting, and I would love to see my peers at Black Theatres take a look at work like this, if it happened to speak to them.

A Tempest begins with a shipwreck near an island in what might be the Caribbean (Césaire is from Martinique) and might be something closer to Europe, where the Shakespearean piece takes place. We soon discover that this storm is the result of a nasty piece of magic from Prospero, a man who was exiled from royalty to this island some years ago. He and his daughter, Miranda, have been living on this island with the help of enslaved people, including Ariel and Caliban. While the traditional white-people plot clips along, we hone in more on Ariel and Caliban as they navigate very different relationships with Prospero. Ariel feels an obligation to Prospero, who saved Ariel from his mother, Sycorax, and believes that Prospero will free him after he has repaid his debt. Caliban, on the other hand, resents Prospero’s rule and longs for the day when he can be free, even saying that he would blow up the island before he would live under Prospero’s reign for the rest of forever. Prospero plays the two against one another and successfully negotiates a good marriage for his daughter out of the shipwrecked royalty. However, when Miranda and the other wealthy folk leave port, Prospero stays behind on the island. He is abandoned by Ariel and Caliban, and he is left to face the elements alone.

Here’s some other helpful info:

Genre: Drama

First Production: 1969

Cast: 10+ men, including at least one Black man, 1+ woman, 1 actor of any gender who is “mulatto.” There are also miscellaneous fairies and sprites, who may expand the cast.

Ideal Performance Space: Proscenium, Black Box

Good Roles for Young People: Some

Passes the Bechdel Test: No

Themes: Adaptation, Colonialism, Shakespeare, Royalty, Magic, Weddings, Slavery, Centers Latine Characters, Centers Black Characters

Major Dramatic Question: Will Ariel and Caliban be freed from European rule?

What was the playwright trying to do? Was she successful?

With this play, Césaire asks audiences to re-think a classic text in the context of colonialism and the Black experience. He coined the term ‘Negritude’ as a celebration of African identity and clearly demonstrates the prevalence of that identity in this piece. In addition to the gods that the white characters call upon, the Black characters in this piece call on Shango and Eshu, Yoruba gods who form an important part of Caribbean culture. Césaire also refocuses the Major Dramatic Question to focus on the experiences of colonized people and to grant them freedom in the end. This is a very successful use of a well-known text to tell a new story.

Why this play now?

The death of Henry Kissinger makes me really want to produce some anti-colonialist work RIGHT NOW. Unfortunately, these things take time, and I am not the person to direct most of these plays, but I do think that folks in the US are having interesting conversations around colonialism and outside control at this precise moment in time. Many Shakespeare companies consistently look for new and different takes on Shakespeare, and this could be a great piece to address that desire. I also think it makes a really nice classroom piece — it’s a little easier to ‘get’ than The Tempest, but it sets up the plot and a more engaging message around important issues at the same time. Far be it from me to tell Black theatre companies what to do, but this looks to me like a great option!

Up Next on my TBR:

Quake by Melanie Marnich

The Person I Once Was by Cindy Lou Johnson

Information for Foreigners by Griselda Gambaro

Winter break is almost here! What else should I be reading?