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Post by Spectator on Oct 6, 2017 1:12:07 GMT
Wow.
Close to a definitive cast. In addition to Lear, Goneril, Regan, Gloucester and Edgar particularly great as well.
As a modern-dress sceptic when it comes to Lear, consider myself fully converted.
Soundtrack very cinematic, storm scene very realistic - as is a certain other scene (consider Beggin' You officially ruined from now on...)
McKellen heartbreaking in his final rejection, the storm and during the ending. Makes it seem effortless.
All in all worth fighting your way through a rail strike, sleep deprivation and general logistical difficulties to get to.
So, so hope this is filmed or there's a limited transfer to a suitable space.
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Post by bramble on Oct 10, 2017 11:29:32 GMT
Very clear concise production.Excellent.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Oct 12, 2017 21:39:03 GMT
Saw it on Saturday, and loved it. It was my third Lear in less than a year and finally after the mixed bag at the Old Vic and the flat bag at the Barbican, I saw what an amazing play it is. bramble really summed it up perfectly, it's clear and concise, it's 3 hours and 20 minutes, but time flows by. Great direction, great McKellen and equally great cast. It's nice that they found a way to justify the absence of the Fool from act 2. We all expected McKellen to be great and he does not disappoint, but in this Lear the whole cast is so good that it almost feels like an ensemble piece. Special shout out to Dervla Kirwan's Goneril and Sinéad Cusack's Kent, both excellent. We that are young shall never see so much, indeed! |
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Post by Jan on Oct 18, 2017 20:59:04 GMT
My 17th King Lear and one of the better ones. McKellen does a lot of acting in it, and of course over the years some of his effects have become familiar, but I like the old boy and it is a pleasure to see him at work. Compared to his last outing in the role this is a smaller-scale and more detailed performance, this works well in some domestic scenes and less well in others like the storm scene. He plays the mad scenes with Lear hardly mad at all which is unusual.
It is not quite a one-man show as Sinead Cusak is very good too. The rest of the acting is OK. Direction is competent in the “Follower of Rupert Goold” style but with no fresh insights. Phil Daniels continues not to my taste, this time as Fool.
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Post by emsworthian on Oct 22, 2017 10:53:57 GMT
I am a "King Lear" novice compared to some of this board; this is only the fourth stage production I have seen but I was impressed. I agree it was fast-moving with only one interval, which comes after the blinding of Gloucester (the usher did warn me that the interval was at 1 hr 50 mins). I am not usually a fan of modern dress Shakespeare but this worked for me. Neither am I usually a fan of gender-fluid casting but I thought Sinead Cusack was superb as Kent and the reason for the sex-change seemed convincing (Appearing as the Countess of Kent in the first scene, after she falls out with Lear and is banished from court, she returns disguised as a man). I also was convinced by the way the fool's demise was depicted. Unlike Dr. Jan Brock, I liked Phil Daniels' performance but then I am a fan.
I agree with the praise for Goneril, Regan and Gloucester. I thought Damien Molony as Edmund showed the lot of charm that makes the two sisters fall for him but on a few occasions I couldn't hear his words even though I was only three rows back from the stage (perhaps it is my hearing).
As to Sir Ian's Lear, it was an impressive performance. People have said that he didn't seem mad enough during the mad scene but I have had to deal with elderly relatives with dementia and they do have periods of lucidity, especially during early stages of dementia.
At the risk of seeming contrary, I found the final scene between Lear and Cordelia more moving in the production with Frank Langella in the title role which I saw at the Minerva a few years ago. But this was a great production.
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Post by fossil on Oct 22, 2017 10:56:52 GMT
Yesterday's matinee was being filmed so those unable to get a ticket may have a chance to view this excellent production. I did not get the chance to ask but it was a simple two static camera set up. Possibly for the theatre museum?
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Post by theatremadness on Oct 22, 2017 11:00:07 GMT
Yesterday's matinee was being filmed so those unable to get a ticket may have a chance to view this excellent production. I did not get the chance to ask but it was a simple two static camera set up. Possibly for the theatre museum? Yes I think I saw a picture of the poster that said it was being filmed for archive purposes so wouldn't be for commercial public consumption I guess. Would love to see this, though. Hoping for a transfer or maybe a 'properly' filmed version. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Oct 22, 2017 11:22:52 GMT
Yesterday's matinee was being filmed so those unable to get a ticket may have a chance to view this excellent production. I did not get the chance to ask but it was a simple two static camera set up. Possibly for the theatre museum? Yes I think I saw a picture of the poster that said it was being filmed for archive purposes so wouldn't be for commercial public consumption I guess. Would love to see this, though. Hoping for a transfer or maybe a 'properly' filmed version. I think Baz said a transfer is improbable but it has been filmed to be available, not sure if he was talking about cinema screenings or a DVD |
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Post by callum on Oct 22, 2017 11:58:03 GMT
A total Lear baby here, only my second production after Glenda at the Old Vic last year. I thought this was staggering. The production is first-rate and Serean is absolutely brilliant. His diction was mumbled at times, but his madness scene with the plants and his cradling of Cordelia at the end was remarkable. Like when I saw Dench, there is something ineffable about the way he wraps his mouth around Shakespearean language. I loved his performance.
Sinead Cusack was brilliant as Kent, and I loved her wavy hair - I cannot *believe* she is 69! Danny Webb was as convincing a Gloucester as he was a Cornwall last year, and Albany was surprisingly impactful. Dervla's Goneril was fine, though Celia Imrie did give a very similar powersuit-interpretation of her last year - I prefer Celia. And I found Oswald extremely camp and hammy like he'd just wandered in from a Carry On film? Am I alone?
The production really did crystallise everything I'd want to understand about the play. For the elaborate effects for the storm scene, they could've just opened a window after yesterday's weather! Towards the end I was really engrossed and don't like to toss around the 'd' word but it did seem... definitive.
I, too, was at yesterday's matinee so am glad it's being recorded - hopefully shown in schools for many years to come. Though I hope they're filming more than one performance as the lady in the front row opposite me dozed off during the first act! Ian McEwan, Mark Rylance and Simon Callow all in the audience and they seemed to enjoy it.
Feel very lucky to have been a part of such an intimate experience and if anybody crosses paths with available tickets, snatch them immediately.
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Post by Rory on Oct 22, 2017 12:27:50 GMT
It'll be a real bummer if this ends in Chichester with no transfer or cinema screening. 😣
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Post by CG on the loose on Oct 22, 2017 12:40:46 GMT
I, too, was at yesterday's matinee so am glad it's being recorded - hopefully shown in schools for many years to come. Though I hope they're filming more than one performance as the lady in the front row opposite me dozed off during the first act! Ian McEwan, Mark Rylance and Simon Callow all in the audience and they seemed to enjoy it. Feel very lucky to have been a part of such an intimate experience and if anybody crosses paths with available tickets, snatch them immediately. I was also at the matinee but understand they were filming both shows yesterday! And I feel similarly lucky to have seen this production. |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 22, 2017 13:30:14 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2017 13:35:32 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆 This supports my theory that the supposed "popularity" of Shakespeare is due in large part to a tiny proportion of the population zooming around the country to see all available Shakespeare productions of the same plays produced over and over and over and over and over and over again. |
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Post by Jan on Oct 22, 2017 13:52:06 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆 Titanic ? You saw the NT one directed by Sir David Hare then ? Somewhat carping criticism, but I think it plays better when the actor who plays Gloucester could also (or has also) played Lear - there is a big mismatch here. |
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 22, 2017 13:53:32 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆 This supports my theory that the supposed "popularity" of Shakespeare is due in large part to a tiny proportion of the population zooming around the country to see all available Shakespeare productions of the same plays produced over and over and over and over and over and over again. I’m sure there is some truth in this, Shakespeare travels this year include Stratford Upon Avon, York, Hull, Chichester, and some of the smaller London Theatres such as the Cockpit, Arcola, and the Union. |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 22, 2017 15:38:57 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆 Titanic ? You saw the NT one directed by Sir David Hare then ? Somewhat carping criticism, but I think it plays better when the actor who plays Gloucester could also (or has also) played Lear - there is a big mismatch here. That production was my first! I assume it is ironic that you always refer to Hare as "Sir" Of course it is titanic, best play ever. Tend to agree with you re Gloucester casting. |
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Post by Jan on Oct 22, 2017 16:58:01 GMT
Titanic ? You saw the NT one directed by Sir David Hare then ? Somewhat carping criticism, but I think it plays better when the actor who plays Gloucester could also (or has also) played Lear - there is a big mismatch here. That production was my first! I assume it is ironic that you always refer to Hare as "Sir" Of course it is titanic, best play ever. Tend to agree with you re Gloucester casting. The well-known republican left-wing thinker Sir David Hare was persuaded to accept a knighthood (from Tony Blair I think) and when it was pointed out that this might seem somewhat in conflict with his previously stated political beliefs explained that he wasn’t accepting it on behalf of himself, oh no, he was accepting it on behalf of “Theatre” as a whole. As I consider myself, as a loyal audience member, part of “Theatre”, then I make sure I always use my title. |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 22, 2017 18:20:41 GMT
That production was my first! I assume it is ironic that you always refer to Hare as "Sir" Of course it is titanic, best play ever. Tend to agree with you re Gloucester casting. The well-known republican left-wing thinker Sir David Hare was persuaded to accept a knighthood (from Tony Blair I think) and when it was pointed out that this might seem somewhat in conflict with his previously stated political beliefs explained that he wasn’t accepting it on behalf of himself, oh no, he was accepting it on behalf of “Theatre” as a whole. As I consider myself, as a loyal audience member, part of “Theatre”, then I make sure I always use my title. Christ!!!🙈 |
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Post by Jan on Oct 23, 2017 18:45:50 GMT
Bloody Hell! Just realised next sat will be my 38th production of this titanic play. Maybe i ought to have a breather? Naaa😆 Even more impressive, Jonathan Miller has directed 8 separate productions of it (including TV). |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 29, 2017 10:19:05 GMT
Saw the final matinee yesterday. Thought it was really good, McKellen using all his experience and wiles to really inhabit the character. Rest of cast good, Sinead Cusack excellent and it might have been interesting to have had her as Gloucester and Danny Webb as Kent. Sisters were good esp Dirvla Kirwan. Rattled along, fair few cuts. Veteran character actor Ronald Pickup in my row, he looked spry.
Sounds like this may be McKellen's farewell to the stage, not a bad way to Go!☺
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Post by Jan on Oct 29, 2017 11:51:36 GMT
"Veteran character actor Ronald Pickup in my row, he looked spry. " Did you ask for his autograph, just to cheer him up a bit ? In circumstances like that I sometimes go over and mention the last thing I saw them in - in this case Peter Hall's "Uncle Vanya" in 2008. |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 29, 2017 14:09:47 GMT
"Veteran character actor Ronald Pickup in my row, he looked spry. " Did you ask for his autograph, just to cheer him up a bit ? In circumstances like that I sometimes go over and mention the last thing I saw them in - in this case Peter Hall's "Uncle Vanya" in 2008. No but i did pick his prog up when he dropped it at the interval! I took my teenage son and likes to get signatures at stagedoor, it was a pleasant evening so we waited. Phil Daniels came out and was walking his small dog when this gorgon of a woman on crutches engaged him in conversation and proceeded to tell him how she actually hated McKellen!! Daniels looked like he didnt care anyway. Mortifying! Anyhow noone else came out so we went. |
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 6, 2018 10:22:39 GMT
Sarah Hemming rumour that it's coming to London this summer:
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Post by Rory on Jan 6, 2018 11:02:05 GMT
I pray to the Theatre Gods this is true! 🤞
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Post by Rory on Feb 1, 2018 22:24:56 GMT
Looks like an announcement is imminent- heavy hint from Baz in response to Twitter banter between Matt Hemley and Sarah Hemming. Hopefully tonight? Feast Creative about to launch the domain www.kinglearwestend.comMy guess is the Gielgud this summer between The Ferryman and Company. |
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