Late Shakespeare bewilders me. Here we have a cast of faceless characters moved around like chess pieces by a wizard and his fairy sidekick. Because there is no serious doubt that Prospero will prevail there is no suspense or genuine excitement. How we are supposed to feel about Prospero and his use of power is an enigma, and that enigma supplies what dramatic interest there is. So it is a play that is more fun to think about than to actually read or see performed. ( )