The Trytth Chronicles? in Shakespeare now!

The Trytth Chronicles? in Shakespeare now! by Goldie Alexander (A Five Senses Publication Anthology Edition) RRP $34.95  ISBN 9781760322601

Reviewed by Claire Stuckey

Miranda and her father Prospero live on a space station for many years with two non human creatures having been wrongly exiled from Naples2. We discover each character's role developing as a damaged spaceship approaches after a meteor storm. With the arrival of other humans including his corrupted bother Alfonso, Prospero tries to manipulate the meeting of Miranda with the young man Ferdinand. He underestimates the creature Caliban who he has harshly controlled in the past. His focus on the young distracts him further from observing the conniving but stupid lust for power by Stepheno and Pincolo.

Shakespeare's story The Tempest is followed more directly in this dystopian tale.  Although set on a spaceship, then on the planet of Trytth, we follow the main characters facing the trials and tribulations created by  the greed and anger of the Xrobb creatures. Guided and empowered by the friendship of the Trytth creatures the young couple survive and triumph while displaying love, courage and intelligence; positive traits that give authority to their survival and ultimate power in realising the return to leadership roles on Naples 2.

The Trytth, however friendly eventually ask them to leave with a strong message that their human characteristics have had major negative consequences on their own planets, a future that don't wish to share. Miranda's long-term intense education revealed in the opening scene causes her to question each episode in their adventures and concludes with her measured response to returning to human civilization. 

This story has many of the same characters as the original from which it is adapted. It provides a cautionary message as to the positive and negative traits of human beings. The setting makes an interesting read with in depth descriptions of the planet it's terrain, flora and fauna. A narrative to establish not only the setting, the dangers and advantages for the characters but also to provide back ground for the environmental message. A long but interesting adaptation of a play I have not seen, so this adaptation provided me with insight to this Shakespearean story.