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Post by talkingheads on Apr 29, 2023 8:08:17 GMT
"I think your performance is wonderful Kenneth" "Thank you Kenneth, so you don't have any direction for me at all Kenneth?" "Nope, just keep standing over there and shouting, that'll be grand Kenneth".
Directing himself reminds me of that art film in Mr Bean's Holiday where the Willem Dafoe character has every credit onscreen.
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Post by Jan on Apr 29, 2023 9:36:52 GMT
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? Well it depends who is cast, if it is a company of "non-name" UK actors they'll cancel everything for a season in New York no problem. |
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Post by clarefh on Apr 29, 2023 10:39:35 GMT
Gosh this thread reminds me that Robert Stephenson as Lear was my first experience of Lear (as a teenager - it was when RSC was in quite a rich vein and had a season at Newcastle. I also saw Alec McCowan as Prospero with SRB as Ariel that season which ( along with a really on form Northern Stage at the time) was what basically hooked me into theatre). It unfortunately set quite high standards in my young mind, can still remember the disappointment on the next Lear I saw and wondering if it was just I was more easily impressed when young!
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Post by Fleance on Apr 29, 2023 12:35:28 GMT
Brian Cox played King Lear at the National at the age of 44. Ian McKellen was Kent in that 1990 production directed by Deborah Warner. Anthony Hopkins was 50, in David Hare's production at the National.
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Post by Jan on Apr 29, 2023 15:10:30 GMT
Brian Cox played King Lear at the National at the age of 44. Ian McKellen was Kent in that 1990 production directed by Deborah Warner. Anthony Hopkins was 50, in David Hare's production at the National. Michael Gambon was 42 in the Adrian Noble RSC production best remembered for a “look at me” turn by Sher as Fool. |
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Post by sfsusan on Apr 29, 2023 16:35:15 GMT
This is what concerns me. I've never seen him on stage, but it seems to me that he's best when directed by someone else as they seem to control his 'hamminess' in roles that don't call for it. And Lear would not call for overacting. (Ian McKellen's 2018 Lear was a masterclass in understatement and was heart-wrenching for it.) |
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 30, 2023 11:43:38 GMT
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. Both Michael Gambon (1982, RSC, for Adrian Noble) and Brian Cox (1990, NT, for Deborah Warner) were 42 when they played the role. Paul Scofield was only 40 when he did it for Peter Brook. |
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Post by lynette on Apr 30, 2023 22:33:17 GMT
You should frankly only see Lear once in your life - it's like jury service. This ain't it. Made me chuckle. I have never been called for jury service ( do they know about me, I wonder?) but seen a load of Lears. McKellen memorable and old. I saw Branagh’s Hamlet on stage and also the movie which is v good for studying, so I suppose I should round off with his Lear. I like his approach to Shakespeare on the whole. We’ll see. |
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Post by evilmat360 on May 7, 2023 18:21:31 GMT
DMT+ newsletter has a bit more information on when tickets are being released for the priority signups. |
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Post by ilovewemusicals on May 29, 2023 20:51:44 GMT
The play will run for two hours with no interval.
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Post by oxfordsimon on May 29, 2023 20:57:04 GMT
The play will run for two hours with no interval. That is a poor choice. It is a play that needs the space to breathe. |
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Post by theatrelover97 on May 29, 2023 21:00:11 GMT
2 hours is pretty short for King Lear. Most productions have at least 45 mins more of stage time.
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Post by Jon on May 29, 2023 21:02:17 GMT
If they managed to condense Henry IV into one part at the Donmar then King Lear shouldn't be an issue.
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Post by theoracle on May 29, 2023 22:04:29 GMT
Could we have John Heffernan as Edmund and Tom Bateman as suggested above as Edgar?
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Post by nottobe on May 29, 2023 22:20:43 GMT
The Hopkins TV film is 1 hour 55 mins and that was an easy to follow and concise telling
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Post by Being Alive on May 29, 2023 22:30:01 GMT
Looking more and more likely this will be a one man Interpretive dance version of lear rather than...an actual full production.
McKellen's was almost 4 hours for heaven's sake.
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Post by Rory on May 29, 2023 22:36:51 GMT
Would help a bit if DMT+ actually gave advance notice of the dates and times.
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Post by joem on May 29, 2023 23:14:03 GMT
The play will run for two hours with no interval. Suspect there's going to be a lot of peeing on the heath. |
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Post by Jan on May 30, 2023 7:13:18 GMT
The play will run for two hours with no interval. Must be the schools version. |
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Post by Jan on May 30, 2023 7:18:09 GMT
If they managed to condense Henry IV into one part at the Donmar then King Lear shouldn't be an issue. I've seen a 1hr version of Hamlet. It's not whether you *can* do it, it's whether it is wise to do it. |
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Post by Rory on May 30, 2023 9:25:13 GMT
It will surprise nobody to learn that the prices for this are absolutely scandalous.
Cheapest decent stalls seats are £87.25 with a smattering of £20 seats at the back of the stalls. First two rows not on sale so a lottery or something to come probably. You'd need to win the actual lottery to afford to book it in advance.
The West End becoming more ball achingly elitist with each new show.
So glad I have no particular interest in seeing this.
Disappointed in Branagh. You'd think he would at least give you the extra hour of the show for the prices they're charging.
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Post by ceebee on May 30, 2023 9:33:31 GMT
It will surprise nobody to learn that the prices for this are absolutely scandalous. Cheapest decent stalls seats are £87.25 with a smattering of £20 seats at the back of the stalls. First two rows not on sale so a lottery or something to come probably. You'd need to win the lottery to afford to book it in advance. The West End becoming more ball achingly elitist with each new show. So glad I have no particular interest in seeing this. Disappointed in Branagh. You'd think he would at least give you the extra hour of the show for the prices they're charging. Totally disagree. I booked two lots of three central stalls tickets. £85 per ticket - I think this is entirely reasonable and found the pricing structure surprisingly normal. Very happy with what I've bought and looking forward to seeing one of our finest actors play this iconic role |
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Post by Rory on May 30, 2023 9:42:20 GMT
It will surprise nobody to learn that the prices for this are absolutely scandalous. Cheapest decent stalls seats are £87.25 with a smattering of £20 seats at the back of the stalls. First two rows not on sale so a lottery or something to come probably. You'd need to win the lottery to afford to book it in advance. The West End becoming more ball achingly elitist with each new show. So glad I have no particular interest in seeing this. Disappointed in Branagh. You'd think he would at least give you the extra hour of the show for the prices they're charging. Totally disagree. I booked two lots of three central stalls tickets. £85 per ticket - I think this is entirely reasonable and found the pricing structure surprisingly normal. Very happy with what I've bought and looking forward to seeing one of our finest actors play this iconic role We are all entitled to have our own opinion. I suspect you will be in the minority on this. |
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Post by ceebee on May 30, 2023 9:48:03 GMT
Totally disagree. I booked two lots of three central stalls tickets. £85 per ticket - I think this is entirely reasonable and found the pricing structure surprisingly normal. Very happy with what I've bought and looking forward to seeing one of our finest actors play this iconic role We are all entitled to have our own opinion. I suspect you will be in the minority on this. Perhaps - though the pricing looks standard and comparable to most other west end productions. Prices are similar to what Life of Pi was charging. |
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Post by Jan on May 30, 2023 10:10:35 GMT
Have they announced any of the other casting yet or is it being sold purely on Branagh's participation ?
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