The Tempest images
By special arrangement, here at left is Prospero's magical staff (with yardstick for scale). The original concept for this prop was pretty simple, just the one word "bamboo." The play takes place on an island, right?
So director Steven decided it wasn't magical enough, and he began hanging stuff to it. You can make out the faux burlap grips, now somewhat tattered. Who even knew there was such a thing as faux burlap? Lots of twine. About 2/3 of the way from top to bottom, a rubber snake is wrapped around. Some chains and a key are attached near the top. Originally there was a Boggle hourglass suspended from a chain; when that failed during a rehearsal fight (or a fight rehearsal, I don't recall clearly), Steven produced a pocket watch he got at the fleamarket. Which lasted until Technical Breakdown Night. Many of the fragments were found in a careful search of the debris field.
And for a reason I don't understand, Steven painted the whole thing black.
The photo at right is a closeup of the Eye of Ra, which on detailed inspection turns out to be part of an employee incentive program dating from 1989. Thanks for the "extra effort," says the inscription. It's held on with coathanger wire; the decorative wrap, which may survive the run of the show, is made of green and gold craft wire.
Steven knows the Eye of Ra lends its possessor great powers of foresight. What he doesn't know, or hasn't acknowledged, is that Prospero is invisible when he holds the Eye up in front of him.
Terry Pratchett has spoken about "consensus" magic, a body of facts that writers take for granted. For example, the sorcerer can transfer some of his power to an artifact such as a staff, wand, hat or book; he is celibate; he's a he in nearly every case. (Women do magic too, but not sorcery.) If you write a fantasy story, you don't need to explain these points--you can assume they're familiar to your readers. In that context, Prospero practices an unnatural kind of magic while the Spirits native to the island do natural magic. They sing their spells; he writes his, then puts them into effect instantaneously by thumping this staff on the ground. Cramps are a frequent effect of thumping. It seems just a bit one-note, but it makes a very attractive contrast with the vocalizing Spirits.
We'd all like to know whether the Spirits are celibate too, but they aren't talking.
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