The Tempest heads to Whanganui -- complete with mystery character

WHO GOES THERE? The cast who will perform The Tempest outdoors in February check out their hooded colleague. PHOTO/ BEVAN CONLEY

A tempest will blow through Whanganui next year - William Shakespeare's Tempest, to be precise.

The Tempest will be performed at Bason Botanic Gardens in February - and here is a photo the cast ready to grapple with the Bard's epic drama.

Except that when we turned up to photograph the cast members on board the pirate ship at Kowhai Park, one of them proved a little shy.

So just who is that mysterious figure at the front? And why are they keeping their identity hidden?

What we can tell you is that they have a key role in the drama and - no - it is not a famous movie star.

All will be revealed in Midweek on Wednesday.

The Tempest - Shakespeare's last solo work and an original story - is being directed by Karen Craig, who directed the very successful al fresco Macbeth at the Botanic Gardens last year.

Shakespeare wrote The Tempest in either 1610 or 1611, and it was first performed at court in 1611, then again in the winter of 1612-13 during the celebration of the marriage of King James's daughter Elizabeth.

Karen Craig believes the play to be a letter from the playwright to King James, about how to treat the 'natives' who were being discovered in the New World, about the danger of having too many of the wrong kind of friends at court and approval of the marriage the King had arranged for his daughter.

The production is being supported by the Bason Botanic Gardens Trust and Karen is also getting assistance from the Repertory Theatre and Amdram. Ingrid Culliford is working on the music with Karen and Sharyn Underwood has undertaken to provide dances and dancers.

Now the cast is busy rehearsing and today tickets go on sale - available at the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

The play will be staged from Thursday, February 22, to Saturday, February 24. Thursday and Friday evening shows are at 7pm, with a Saturday matinee at 3pm and an evening performance at 8pm.

Tickets are $10 for Thursday night and the Saturday matinee, and $20 for Friday and Saturday nights.

In addition, picnic hampers available for purchase when buying tickets.