Ben Fletcher-Watson

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Bill helped me find some images from the production, including Caliban's submerged tank shown above, and this picture of the superb galleon in action.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

But one more letter arrived, from Bill Gaskill, and all fell into place (as you might expect from such a keen-eyed director).

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

"Neville Coghill (who directed) had caused a long dock to be built about an inch below the surface of the lake and it was on this that Hodgson ran, kicking up little splashes and lit by a large spotlight on the shore behind him."

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

So Wardle, like Stoppard, says that Ariel ran across the lake "into the distance", but adds a beautiful detail about Becker's additional appearance as Caliban, waving "farewell to his fellow spirit". Let's contact Caliban!

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

But he remembered "Ariel running weightlessly across the lake into the distance while Bill Becker, as Caliban, arose from his lair – a tank sunk into the lake at the closest point to the spectators – and waved a farewell to his fellow spirit..."

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

So what was going on dramaturgically? Did Coghill make some judicious edits to allow Ariel the final line, or did the play carry on after this moment? How did Hodgson cross the lake - in one straight line ending in the firework, or back and forth? Time to ask a critic, perhaps.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Coghill himself re-used the effect of walking on water for a 1962 Midsummer Night's Dream, an image of which appears in his Festschrift. So how was it first done?

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

William, Nash, Hodgson, Schlesinger, Davenport and May had all died. Chitty passed away just before my letter arrived, but Lady Chitty kindly replied.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

So I wrote to Peter Wood. Sadly, a reply from his carer said he was suffering from dementia and could not respond. I decided to track down surviving cast and crew to get a first-hand account. As you can imagine, this wasn't easy 70+ years later.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

From the same book: "Surprisingly often, over the years, the memory of this production would come up. The director I worked with, the designer... – it was something which had stayed in their memory. This was now 30 years ago, and it’s still a vignette which comes up..."

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

“Stoppard’s biographer, Ira Nadel, wrote that for him this was ‘the essence of theatre – imagination and the freedom to create a scene that makes the text an event.’” Loving and Writing, Writing and Loving (2011, pp.85-86)

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Stoppard made this scene famous, retelling it many times including in his 1988 Whidden Lecture titled 'The Event and the Text' at McMaster University, Ontario.

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Some context: in June 1949 at Worcester College, Oxford, Nevill Coghill (1899-1980) co-directed 'The Tempest' with Graham Binns, and a student cast. Coghill’s production has gone down in history due to one particular directorial decision at the close of the play.