While Prospero is truly meant to be the main character in the Tempest, seeing the play performed live reminds us that it is actually Caliban who is most important. Michael Stewart Allen's performance of Caliban brought out the richness and complexity of the character, without reducing him to a crude stereotype - which is a direction that other, less talented actors may have chosen to go in. Rather than overacting, Allen's subtle approach effectively affirms the many ambiguities of Caliban's character that Shakespeare leaves open in his text. Despite the rich poetic lines and monologues that Shakespeare has given Caliban, the fact remains that he does not get to speak very often in the course of the play - especially when compared to Prospero, who seems to be speaking all the time. This ambiguity is exploited in the scene when Caliban affirms that he indeed attempted to rape Miranda, and...
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