His play The Tempest inspired the jukebox musical Return To The Forbidden Planet being staged this week by Phoenix P-12 Community College.

Classic hits Teenager in Love, Young Girl, Good Vibrations, Shake Rattle and Roll, Wipeout and Gloria all feature in the production, which is also partly based on the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet.

Director Deanne Joosten said nearly 70 year eight to 10 students are involved in the play as either actors or musicians, with 10 staff and ex-students also helping out.

“This was billed as Shakespeare’s forgotten rock and roll masterpiece,” Ms Joosten said.

The play, which is being staged at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday and Friday nights, focuses on mad scientist Doctor Prospero who, with faithful wife Gloria, develops an elusive formula which will change the world. However, Gloria double crosses him and sends him off into hyper-space in an old spacecraft – but also with their infant daughter Miranda sleeping peacefully on the ship. Fifteen years later, a routine survey flight under handsome Captain Tempest leaves earth with a very bitter, female science officer on board. 

Captain Tempest is played by Riley Bain, while Kyle Coulsen is Doctor Prospero, Rochelle Liston is the science officer, Jess Schaivos is the navigation officer, Trisha May Frankie plays Miranda and Bosun is Nick Oakes.