King Lear - Kenneth Branagh - Wyndham's

[ilovewemusicals]

Had a look at 12pm incase they’d added front row but they haven’t yet. They did add the other half of stalls row E though.

[lynette]

In light of Andrew Scott doing Vanya all on his ownio, is this what Branagh is doing with this Lear?

[londonpostie]

I can't tell you how much grief it was trying to book this in the middle of a large field of sheep, somewhere between Haverford West and .. eeeven further west.

KB has had 4+ decades to gather his ideas together. Look forward to the results.

[Dawnstar]

Jun 8, 2023 22:48:26 GMT lynette said:

In light of Andrew Scott doing Vanya all on his ownio, is this what Branagh is doing with this Lear?

Seeing an actor putting his own eyes out could be, er, interesting!

[lynette]

Jun 9, 2023 21:36:50 GMT Dawnstar said:

Jun 8, 2023 22:48:26 GMT lynette said:

In light of Andrew Scott doing Vanya all on his ownio, is this what Branagh is doing with this Lear?

Seeing an actor putting his own eyes out could be, er, interesting!

Rule nothing out 

[sam22]

Presumably dynamic pricing has kicked in. My partner just went to book a ticket the day I'm going and the cheapest is £200!

[lynette]

Jun 26, 2023 22:36:20 GMT sam22 said:

Presumably dynamic pricing has kicked in. My partner just went to book a ticket the day I'm going and the cheapest is £200!

That’s £100 an hour. Is it gonna be the thing we all go about for the next fifty years - “Did you see…? I was there.” Etc. No it isn’t. 

[Dave B]

A full cast announced along with an Off-Broadway transfer for next year.

www.whatsonstage.com/news/full-cast-to-join-kenneth-branagh-in-king-lear-revealed_1509110/

[zahidf]

Full cast announced. Isnt a one man show

[Jan]

Doubling Cordelia and Fool is one of those ideas that’s talked about a lot but is hardly ever done, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in fact.

[nottobe]

Jul 6, 2023 10:40:12 GMT Jan said:

Doubling Cordelia and Fool is one of those ideas that’s talked about a lot but is hardly ever done, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in fact.

Kathryn Hunter's Lear at the Globe last year had Michelle Terry and Cordelia and the Fool.
Also Glenda Jackson's production on Broadway had Ruth Wilson as Cordelia and Fool. I only saw the globe production and found Terry to be disappointing as both but maybe it could work with right performer.

[alicechallice]

Jul 6, 2023 10:40:12 GMT Jan said:

Doubling Cordelia and Fool is one of those ideas that’s talked about a lot but is hardly ever done, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in fact.

The most high profile example of this Ruth Wilson in the Glenda Jackson production on Broadway. 

[thistimetomorrow]

Saw Jess Revell in Company at RADA earlier this year, very much looking forward to seeing her Cordelia/Fool

[matilda1]

Have just realised that all the female actors in this went to RADA, and are recent graduates. Not sure about the men.
I’m sure they are all very talented, but do other drama schools not exist?

[n1david]

Branagh is President of RADA and did his Browning Version as a benefit for them so I imagine he views it as one of his goals to promote their young talent.

[matilda1]

Jul 6, 2023 16:15:14 GMT n1david said:

Branagh is President of RADA and did his Browning Version as a benefit for them so I imagine he views it as one of his goals to promote their young talent.

Nice work if you can get it I suppose.
Doesn’t seem right though.

[nottobe]

Jul 6, 2023 16:15:14 GMT n1david said:

Branagh is President of RADA and did his Browning Version as a benefit for them so I imagine he views it as one of his goals to promote their young talent.

The Browning Version was a covid casualty so don't know how much it benefited them. Agree that it seems somewhat nepotism like to only cast RADA graduates. It also seems just odd to have the company so young when there are many older parts. 
After initially being excited I have to say I don't think I'll be bothering to see it, life is too short to see another Shakespeare unless it is actually interesting. 

[Jan]

Jul 6, 2023 10:08:13 GMT zahidf said:

Full cast announced. Isnt a one man show

Well metaphorically it is based on that casting.

[n1david]

Jul 6, 2023 17:08:51 GMT nottobe said:

The Browning Version was a covid casualty so don't know how much it benefited them. Agree that it seems somewhat nepotism like to only cast RADA graduates. It also seems just odd to have the company so young when there are many older parts. 

Given the context, I'm sure some ended up crediting their ticket fees, although my main point was his commitment to RADA. There was also the Tom Hiddleston Hamlet that Branagh directed for RADA too. Given that "nepotism" refers specifically to support of one's family members, I don't think that the President of RADA selecting RADA graduates for parts quite fits that category, rather the leader of a charity helping out that charity. But I have no brief for RADA or Branagh, so I'll wait to see the production, about which I have mixed expectations, although none of them to do with specifically casting RADA graduates in roles.

[Jan]

Jul 6, 2023 21:54:26 GMT n1david said:

Jul 6, 2023 17:08:51 GMT nottobe said:

The Browning Version was a covid casualty so don't know how much it benefited them. Agree that it seems somewhat nepotism like to only cast RADA graduates. It also seems just odd to have the company so young when there are many older parts. 

Given the context, I'm sure some ended up crediting their ticket fees, although my main point was his commitment to RADA. There was also the Tom Hiddleston Hamlet that Branagh directed for RADA too. Given that "nepotism" refers specifically to support of one's family members, I don't think that the President of RADA selecting RADA graduates for parts quite fits that category, rather the leader of a charity helping out that charity. But I have no brief for RADA or Branagh, so I'll wait to see the production, about which I have mixed expectations, although none of them to do with specifically casting RADA graduates in roles.

I think the only problem here is that they waited until after they'd sold tickets at eye-watering prices before announcing this was a charity event "in association with RADA" with casting to match.  Why did they do that ? 

[kate8]

I don’t really care about the RADA bias, and hope he’s picked some very talented graduates who are launched into significant theatre careers.

But I would prefer to see more experience in the cast, because I think Branagh’s better performances have been when he surrounds himself with established talent.

This feels a bit like the elder statesman surrounded by disciples. Maybe that’s unfair…or a perfect dynamic for Lear?

[sb61]

I watch a lot of 3rd year productions at Rada and it is London's best kept secret ...amazing performances by future acting stars at cheap prices £16 .Better than a lot of the performances I see in the West end in general .
The cast of this King Lear production will not disappoint us . Yes they are all RADA graduates but most of them are working professionally now and getting experience .
I think it is good that Branagh has not gone with big names, everyone needs to a chance and to start somewhere.
Be open minded about the show and I think we are in for a treat .

[Jan]

Jul 7, 2023 18:47:53 GMT sb61 said:

I watch a lot of 3rd year productions at Rada and it is London's best kept secret ...amazing performances by future acting stars at cheap prices £16 .Better than a lot of the performances I see in the West end in general .
The cast of this King Lear production will not disappoint us . Yes they are all RADA graduates but most of them are working professionally now and getting experience .
I think it is good that Branagh has not gone with big names, everyone needs to a chance and to start somewhere.
Be open minded about the show and I think we are in for a treat .

I go to drama school productions too but I wouldn’t pay £150 for a ticket.

[sb61]

I think the point is that people are missing is that these are not Rada students .. they are graduates and if you look at the profiles only 2 are this years graduates and one of those has worked professionally before .
The west end is full of fairly recent Rada graduates as well as other drama school grads .. Harry Potter / Cabaret / to kill a mocking bird / moulin rouge to name just a few and no one minds paying £150 for those tickets .
If you were on the pre sale list for this show there were plenty of cheaper tickets available at the beginning .. I got some great seats for £90

[Jan]

Jul 8, 2023 11:38:42 GMT sb61 said:

I think the point is that people are missing is that these are not Rada students .. they are graduates and if you look at the profiles only 2 are this years graduates and one of those has worked professionally before .
The west end is full of fairly recent Rada graduates as well as other drama school grads .. Harry Potter / Cabaret / to kill a mocking bird / moulin rouge to name just a few and no one minds paying £150 for those tickets .
If you were on the pre sale list for this show there were plenty of cheaper tickets available at the beginning .. I got some great seats for £90

£90 is not cheap for me. Like I asked before, why do you think they waited till well after booking had opened to let us know it was in association with RADA ?