Ozact revives The Tempest with new vision

SHAKESPEARE will arrive at the Kirks Reservoir Park Gardens next week, when Ozact Theatre Company performs The Tempest on 26 and 27 December.

Ozact has been presenting Shakespeare’s notable works in striking outdoor locations for more than three decades.

The Tempest is regarded as one of the company’s signature works and has been performed to thousands of people across Victoria and South Australia.

The tragicomedy follows a powerful sorcerer and Melanesian nobleman who is banished to a remote island with his daughter and a band of magical spirits.

Cast members from Ozact Theatre Company in character for The Tempest, ahead of their Kirks Reservoir shows next week. Photos: SUPPLIED

Together they seek revenge on those who wronged them, but their plans are disrupted when romance complicates loyalties and intentions.

The story navigates sorcery, shifting fortunes and fractured relationships.

Director Andy Delves, who also appears as Prospero, said the staging marks a new chapter for the work.

“We have performed The Tempest countless times, and we are known for performing it at stunning places like Loch Ard Gorge,” he said.

“With the indefinite closure of Loch Ard Gorge, we had to rethink how we approach this work.

“To that end, I saw this as an opportunity for us to change how we express the story. I wanted to inject some new energy and new voices into the production.

“I hope audiences enjoy this new perspective that would not be possible without the incredible cast and crew we are lucky to work with.”

The Tempest is regarded as one of the company’s signature works and has been performed to thousands of people across Victoria and South Australia.

Cast member Sorcha Breen, who plays Gonzala, said the company’s relationship with its audience continues to drive demand in new locations.

“It’s not just the time on stage that I look forward to every year, it’s the thousands of repeat and new faces that I get to greet, it’s the stunning locations that I get to travel to, it’s the team of creatives that I get to work with but most of all it’s the living history that I get to share with our fans,” she said.

“Ozact is known for its lineage of loyal fans who continue to choose to buy tickets to see us in a cost-of-living crisis.”

For tickets, head to trybooking.com/events/landing/1462120.