NARRATOR: Down in the jungle King Alonso and the courtiers have given up hopeof finding Ferdinand. Most of them are moping. Antonio and Sebastianare plotting murder - again - big surprise. Prospero walks, invisible,among them, then nods to Ariel. Immediately wild animals roar and crashthrough the trees. The courtiers panic and run about. More terrible noises…then silence.
Before they have time to recover, Prospero clicks his fingers - and amassive banquet appears, tables piled high with everyone’s favouritefood. The starving courtiers rush to the tables - but then whoosh! - Arielappears like a terrible monster and flies all around them.
Then he waves his giant wings over the meal - and it disappears. ‘Ohdear, I am enjoying this,’ says Prospero, as the courtiers run everywhereshrieking in terror.
Finally Ariel floats above Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian - and tells themthey are being punished by the gods for all the terrible things they’vedone. In horror the three of them run off into the jungle.
‘Very nicely done,’ says Prospero. ‘Who’s next?’
‘The drunks,’ says Ariel.
And with a whizz the magician and his assistant disappear…only to reappear by the cave. Just in time to catch Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano.Their nicking Prospero’s spare magician’s clothes and heading off withbig sticks to kill him.
‘Do your stuff Ariel,’ says Prospero. So Ariel conjures up a pack of demondogs and chases them away into the jungle too.
Alone now, Prospero sits and shakes his head. ‘Human beings. Leavethem alone on an island for a day and look what they get up to,’ hethinks. But should he punish them - or have they learnt their lesson? Is ittime to forget all this magician nonsense? Is it time to forgive and forget?
Prospero looks far out to sea and ponders these questions. But theanswer doesn’t lie out at sea…it lies within himself.
Video summary
Prospero has his enemies in his power and takes his plan to the next level.
He puts on his invisibility cloak and joins Ariel in the jungle, ready for the mayhem to begin.
First, King Alonso and the courtiers. Wild animals roar and crash through the trees while the courtiers panic and run about.
Before they have time to recover, Prospero clicks his fingers and a massive banquet appears.
The starving courtiers rush for the food but Ariel appears as a monster and the courtiers are terrified.
Then Ariel floats above Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian and tells them they are being punished for all the terrible things they have done.
Next, Caliban and his new friends. Prospero and Ariel find them up at the cave where they're stealing the magician's robes.
Ariel conjures up a pack of demon dogs, which chase them in to the jungle too.
Alone later, Prospero questions the right course of action: punishment or forgiveness?
Has he himself become spellbound by the magic and the mayhem?
Could it be time to move on and return home…?
Teacher Notes
This series provides various opportunities to meet Key Stage 2 National Curriculum requirements, including study of a significant author, reading techniques such as prediction, drawing inferences, clarification and summary; and drama and writing opportunities - including poetry performance, descriptive writing, persuasive writing, letter writing, newspaper article writing, poetry and play scripts.
It could be used as an introduction to the play, consolidation of key aspects or for revision of the plot and characters.
More detail on how to use this series, including detailed lesson plans, can be found in the Teacher's Notes PDF.
This series is relevant for teaching English at KS2, in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and at Second Level in Scotland.
Episode 5 - Barracuda. video
Stephano and Trinculo fall in with Caliban...and plan a revolution for the island.
Episode 6 - Love song. video
Prospero sets Ferdinand to work. He and Miranda meet... and it's love at first sight.
Episode 8 - Sea change. video
Prospero destroys his staff, forgives his courtiers and Ferdinand and Mirand will marry.
