- Running time 2 hours 10 minutes (including interval)
Kenneth Branagh stars as Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by Sir Richard Eyre, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Experience Shakespeare’s late masterpiece in an epic new staging from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Academy Award-nominated actor and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh makes a historic return to the RSC after more than 30 years, taking on the role of Prospero for the very first time.
Running from 13 May – 20 June 2026, this landmark production is directed by the legendary Sir Richard Eyre, marking his RSC debut in Stratford-upon-Avon.
About the Production
On a remote island, an exiled Duke conjures a devastating storm, drawing his enemies to shore. As Prospero manipulates fate with his magical powers, Shakespeare’s play explores vengeance, love, and forgiveness in a dazzling meditation on art, power and freedom.
This unmissable staging unites one of the world’s finest Shakespearean actors with one of Britain’s most celebrated directors, promising a spellbinding theatrical event in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to see Kenneth Branagh return to the RSC in The Tempest.
The Tempest is playing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 13 May to 20 June 2026.
On a distant island, the exiled Duke Prospero waits. Stripped of his position and power, he has devoted himself to the study of magic, commanding the spirits of the island and bending nature to his will. When a ship carrying those who betrayed him sails nearby, Prospero summons a great storm that drives them onto his shores.
As his enemies awaken, they find themselves lost in a strange and enchanted world, where illusions blur reality and nothing is as it seems. Amid plots of revenge, budding romance, and supernatural interventions, Prospero must decide whether to pursue vengeance or embrace forgiveness, in Shakespeare’s final and most magical play.
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Stars and Creatives
Who is in the cast of The Tempest - Starring Kenneth Branagh?
Starring:
- Kenneth Branagh as Prospero
- Ruby Stokes as Miranda
- Amara Okereke as Ariel
- Henry Pettigrew as Sebastian
- Fred Woodley Evans as Ferdinand
- Ashley Zhangazha as Caliban
- Guy Henry as Stephano
- Paul Jesson as Gonzalo
- Mark Meadows as Antonio
- David Bark-Jones as Alonso
- Darrell Brockis as Boatswain
- Keir Charles as Trinculo
- Philip Childs as Master
- Spirits are Halle Brown, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Razak Osman
- Offstage Understudies are: Stuart Edgar, Tallulah Hamilton Barr
Who are the creative team of The Tempest - Starring Kenneth Branagh?
- Directed by Sir Richard Eyre
- Set Design by Bob Crowley
- Costume Design by Fotini Dimou
- Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone
- Composers Akintayo Akinbode and Stephen Warbeck
- Sound Design by Nicola T. Chang
- Movement & Intimacy Director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster
- Casting Director Charlotte Sutton CDG
- Video Design by Akhila Krishnan
Google
AppleCritics' reviews of The Tempest - Starring Kenneth Branagh
★★★★ “Kenneth Branagh is spellbinding” The Telegraph
★★★★ “This enchanting production” The Guardian
★★★★ “Kenneth Branagh is in complete command” The Times
★★★★ “Electrifying” What's On Stage
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