by William Shakespeare.
[Starring] Michael Redgrave, Keith Michell
also starring Jack MacGowran as Trinculo, Ronald Pickup as Ariel
(Ronald Pickup is a National Theatre player)

The Tempest
Starring Michael Redgrave
Tonight AT 9.15
Prospero, Duke of Milan, absorbed in his books, foolishly and irresponsibly left the government of his state to Antonio, his brother. Antonio, tired of the responsibility without the trappings, plotted with Alonso, King of Naples and an enemy of Prospero, to overthrow him. They succeeded, and Prospero and his three-year-old daughter, Miranda, were set adrift in an old leaking hull and left to perish.
Fortunately, a kind nobleman provided them with food, clothing, and most important of all, the precious books on which Prospero's supernatural powers depended. They were washed up on an island on which the only inhabitant was Caliban-the primitive creature with no sense of right or wrong and without the powers of speech. Prospero has, using his magical powers, overthrown him, taught him speech, but has kept him subjugated. He has then devoted himself to the cultivation of his mind, and to the special education of Miranda.
When Shakespeare's play begins twelve years have passed and Miranda is fifteen. In the opening scene, Alonso and Antonio-joint architects of Prospero's ruin - and Ferdinand, Alonso's son, are sailing from Tunis to Naples and have encountered a terrible storm-the tempest raised by Prospero to drive them on to his island ...

[Picture caption] Caliban (Keith Michell), Trinculo (Jack MacGowran), and Stephano (Douglas Rain) in tonight's Shakespeare production