The Tempest

Concept Design
Written by William Shakepear

What if “the tempest’s” island was a different type of island?


Reimagining Shakespeare's "The Tempest" on a different type of island—an urban traffic island—invites in a compelling reinterpretation of the timeless narrative. Here, ships metamorphose into cars, characters embody the struggles of contemporary homelessness, and the mystical is manifested through traffic infrastructure. This innovative adaptation not only injects the play with modern themes but also prompts audiences to revisit its enduring motifs through a contemporary lens.

Bundy Drive Exit 

Sketch/Designs on location

• Instead of ships, cars navigate the tumultuous storm, symbolizing journeys through modernity's chaotic seas.

• On the urban traffic island, we encounter Caliban, Miranda, and Prospero—homeless souls exiled from society's shores, echoing themes of displacement and marginalization.

• Miranda and Prospero, once inhabitants of a now-banished home, grapple with their newfound status amidst the concrete jungle.

• Antonio, Prospero's estranged brother, traverses the storm in a single car, embodying familial tensions amidst the tempest.

• Ariel, the ethereal spirit guiding Prospero's quest for retribution, takes the form of a traffic light, illuminating pathways of vengeance and forgiveness.

• Ferdinand, separated from his royal entourage, traverses the stormy night in another car, emblematic of both physical and emotional distance.