ABSTRACT

The history of The Tempest on the English-speaking stage from the Restoration era through the mid nineteenth century is mainly a story of high theatrical adaptations and alterations or of spectacular “illustrations” of Shakespeare’s play. 1 While, by the close of the nineteenth century, Shakespeare’s original text was the basis of presentations, many minor producers were still imitating the theatrical innovations of Samuel Phelps’s 1847 revival and major ones, such as Augustin Daly and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, were attempting to surpass the lavish illustrations of Charles Kean’s 1857 extravaganza. 2