King Lear - Kenneth Branagh - Wyndham's

[Mark]

50 performances only!

From 21st October

kinglearbranagh.com/

[couldileaveyou]

It was doomed to happen eventually, but I always thought he would have waited a little longer

[oxfordsimon]

Hope he keeps the Poirot moustache for this one...

Tom Bateman for Edmund or Edgar?

[couldileaveyou]

Directing himself as Lear is, ehm, ambitious. I think not even Gielgud and Olivier did that

[bordeaux]

Good to see some big names returning to do some Shakespeare. For me it depends on the rest of the casting. I don't think I've seen him in Shakespeare since his (superb) Hamlet for Adrian Noble.

[mattnyc]

Never thought I’d get to see him onstage, this is very exciting!

[Jan]

Apr 28, 2023 11:23:27 GMT bordeaux said:

Good to see some big names returning to do some Shakespeare. For me it depends on the rest of the casting. I don't think I've seen him in Shakespeare since his (superb) Hamlet for Adrian Noble.

He's acted in a few since then: Coriolanus (Chichester), Richard III (Sheffield), Macbeth (Manchester), Winters Tale (West End). 

[Being Alive]

Would genuinely rather watch Heathers.

[mattnyc]

Apr 28, 2023 12:31:24 GMT Being Alive said:

Would genuinely rather watch Heathers.

If it were anyone else I’d agree with you lolol

[ceebee]

This is very exciting news. Like Bordeaux, I last saw Branagh do Shakespeare at the RSC in "Hamlet", which was stunning. I last saw King Lear with Robert Stephens. This feels like it might be a landmark production.

[Being Alive]

You should frankly only see Lear once in your life - it's like jury service.

This ain't it.

[nottobe]

Only a few weeks ago I was thinking surely Kenneth Branagh was overdue being on stage again and him performing King Lear did spring into my mind among the potential plays he may be back for. I have never seen Branagh live onstage but have to say this makes me very excited. I'm sure this would also have quite a good supporting cast too but we shall wait and see. Judi Dench as the fool? Ok I say that in jest but surely some of the other Branagh favourites will be in this.

[theatremiss]

So who do you think he’s likely to cast?

[Jan]

Apr 28, 2023 17:51:46 GMT theatremiss said:

So who do you think he’s likely to cast?

Jacobi as Fool. 

[theatremiss]

Apr 28, 2023 17:56:36 GMT Jan said:

Apr 28, 2023 17:51:46 GMT theatremiss said:

So who do you think he’s likely to cast?

Jacobi as Fool. 

I was trying to cast my mind back to the Branagh run of shows in the West End a number of years ago. Some of them went on to being in Murder on the Orient Express 

[mrnutz]

Directing himself 😂

[Marwood]

I think he’s way too young to play the lead in this, and last time I saw him onstage was in the unflushed toilet that was The Painkiller so I’ll pass on this.

[Jan]

Apr 28, 2023 19:07:21 GMT Marwood said:

I think he’s way too young to play the lead in this.

He’s exactly the same age (62) as Robert Stephens was when he played it for the RSC and that performance gets highly praised here (including by me) and no-one at all says he was too young. I think a bigger potential problem is he’s not a good enough actor to play it, throughout his career I’ve thought he’s a far better director than actor.

[barrowside]

He may not really be directing himself. On the early films when he was both acting and directing Hugh Crutwell was his performance consultant. I'm not sure if he's had anyone since. He may appoint a co-director like Rob Ashford.

[ceebee]

Apr 28, 2023 20:46:33 GMT Jan said:

Apr 28, 2023 19:07:21 GMT Marwood said:

I think he’s way too young to play the lead in this.

He’s exactly the same age (62) as Robert Stephens was when he played it for the RSC and that performance gets highly praised here (including by me) and no-one at all says he was too young. I think a bigger potential problem is he’s not a good enough actor to play it, throughout his career I’ve thought he’s a far better director than actor.

What was poignant about Stephen's performance was that he continued doing it despite being unwell. Branagh is probably a 'younger' 62, if that makes sense.

[lonlad]

Stephens was on another planet altogether from what this could ever hope to be - the difference between an artist (Stephens has more soul in one finger than Branagh has in his entire body) and a technician. And Rob Ashford co-directing is too surreal for words .... I'm sure that won't happen, especially since they are taking this to NY.

Anyone else remember the 1990 LEAR with Branagh as Edgar, Emma Thompson as the Fool, and Richard Briers as Lear? Branagh directed that one and it was ghastly.

[Rory]

I wonder why there's such a long gap between London and New York (Autumn 2024). Makes it harder to keep the company together, surely?

[mrbarnaby]

You could not pay me to watch this.

[theatreliker]

"I'm now going to stand over here and shout. Is that ok with everyone else?"

[Jan]

Apr 28, 2023 22:55:29 GMT ceebee said:

Apr 28, 2023 20:46:33 GMT Jan said:

He’s exactly the same age (62) as Robert Stephens was when he played it for the RSC and that performance gets highly praised here (including by me) and no-one at all says he was too young. I think a bigger potential problem is he’s not a good enough actor to play it, throughout his career I’ve thought he’s a far better director than actor.

What was poignant about Stephen's performance was that he continued doing it despite being unwell. Branagh is probably a 'younger' 62, if that makes sense.

What was also poignant about Stephens was that the RSC were so cheap that after some evening performances audience members met him in the queue for the bus to take them to the last train back to London.