"Enter Prospero in His Magic Robes, And Ariel"

Alternative title

Shakespeare and Magic

Synopsis

Podcast from the Folger Shakespeare Library. In The Tempest, the magician Prospero conjures up a storm, charms his daughter to sleep, and uses his power to control Ariel and other spirits. Is this magic real, or is Prospero pulling off elaborate illusions? Fascinated by this question, and by Prospero’s relinquishing of magic at the play’s end, Teller (of the magic/comedy team Penn & Teller) co-directed a production of The Tempest with Aaron Posner at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2015 [see separate database entry]. In this episode of Teller joins Barbara Mowat, director of research emerita at the Folger and co-editor of the Folger Editions, to talk about magic in The Tempest and other Shakespeare plays, as well attitudes about magic in late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century England. Teller and Mowat are interviewed by Barbara Bogaev.

Series

Shakespeare Unlimited

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Audio

Recording date

8 Mar 2016

Duration

32 mins

Credits

Producer

Richard Paul

Contributor

Barbara Bogaev; Barbara Mowat; Teller

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

Tempest, The

Subjects

Drama; Shakespeare

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); magic

Notes

Notes

Podcast: http://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited-episode-43 (accessed 3/2016).

Online Availability

Online URL

http://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited-episode-43

Online price

free

Online format

Streamed

Production Company

Name

R.L. Paul Productions