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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2016 22:24:47 GMT
Enjoyed Glens performance, bit dissapointment by the supporting stars. 4 hours is just too long and the last half hour I considered Dignitas Well, I did remind everyone that her Antony and Cleopatra lasted four and three quarter hours. She was excellent in Scenes from an Execution, first for BBC Radio, when the production won the international Prix Italia for radio drama, and later for the Almeida, as the very first production of the Ian McDiarmid and Jonathan Kent era. Glenda Jackson is deadly serious theatre artist and she would be the last person to gabble away "at pace" and compromise the integrity of the production just for the sake of lightweight audience members. Sorry folks but she's the real thing, not a boulevardienne. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2016 22:30:05 GMT
She dried at one point in first act but not bad for 25 yrs off
Jane Horricks throws an eyeball into the stalls, it's the only bit she was memorable in
Imelda did not give it a standing ovation (in fact, and don't quote me, but did she boo glenis?! No, no she didn't)
Question for anyone that made the curtain call - did Rhys Iffans bow? We think he may have buggered off early
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2016 22:55:04 GMT
The stage comes out passed the proscenium arch by bout 5 metres Ha ha! Last week I was being told by various smug forum members that they could confidently predict sightlines through the upper gallery rail because the stage would be in its usual place, and they could remember watching a play staged in the round! |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2016 22:57:21 GMT
I was on front row of the upper circle and it was a bit of an arse with the safety rail but you used to it after the 41st hour or so
Got to see quite a few bums in this and a guy having a wank
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Post by couldileaveyou on Oct 25, 2016 23:57:57 GMT
So, story time. I was having a nice chat on Skype with my parents (who still consider me the Cordelia to their Lear since I moved to London) and when it was over I checked if there were tickets left for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Then I absentmindedly checked tonight (last night??) performance of Lear and I miraculously found a ticket for 30£ in the sixth row of the stalls: it was a "return" ticket originally sold for 150£ and reduced to 30£ an hour before curtain. I bought it and then realized that it was 6:10 pm and that I lived in Tottenham. I ran for my life (I haven't had a run since 2014) and managed to be at the Old Vic at 6:40 (funnilly enough, it took me 1 hour and ten minutes to go back). I know you don't care, but I never do anything for brevity's sake.
So, the show. It's almost four hour long and it's not one of those shows where you give a look at the clock and say "ops, where did all this time go?". You feel every minute of it. Every. Single. Minute. Glenda Jackson is good, she delivers a solid performance. She's not transfixing or groundbreaking, but still solid. And there are some sparks of genius in there: her "I loved her most" broke my heart. Her Lear is childish in the first scene, but she also shows sings of dementia. She has a terrific voice, deep and powerful. And she's quite comanding. When she meets Cordelia again in act four she has a pajama, a dressing gown and she's sitting on a wheelchair: it hits very close to home, I think we have all seen a mother/grandmother in that situation and it's quite moving. She delivers a brave performance and she shows signs of vulnerability.
I LOVED Harry Melling as Edgard. Loved, loved, loved. He's fun, he's moving, he's brave, he's excellent. And, btw, it's so refreshing to see someone who doesn't look like a bloody model taking his clothes off on stage/screen sometimes. The rest of the cast is serviceable, which is the most depressing way to describe a performance: if they were terrible I'd remember them better.
About the direction. What's even the point of having an enormous stage if you always put the actors on the proscenium all the time?? What was the point of having Edmund masturbating while he was planning his brother's downfall? I mean, it sounds odd even to myself complainging about the view of a great ass, but I must confess I was perplexed.
As I said I was sitting behind Imelda and Mr. Carson (*screaming internally*) and yes, they didn't give the cast a standing ovation. It was far from being a full standing ovation, a lot of people (including myself) were sitting and cheering. It's nice that Glenda rafused to have her own solitary bow. So classy.
For those who are interested in stage door. I went there and by the time she came out (it took her 15/20 minutes, including a visit from "Dame" Staunton) there were around 20 people. She signed autographs of the Old Vic merchandise and took pictures with everybody who asked. A lovely, lovely lady I had been chatting with took a picture of me with Glenda and told her that I was writing an essay on the blinding of Gloucester. Glenda was like "at your age?" and chatted a bit with me. She was very nice. I'm glad I saw her, especially considering that she gave up acting before I was even born: it's been a nice plot twist for me.
Solid performance from the star, meh supporting, meh direction. It made me want not to see Lear again for a very, very long time but unfortunately I need to the see the Barbican production in a month. Ugh, at the moment I find the idea unbearable.
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Post by DuchessConstance on Oct 26, 2016 0:19:21 GMT
Sorry to be mean spirited but glad I returned my ticket.
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Post by Jan on Oct 26, 2016 2:37:01 GMT
Why did anyone think this was going to be good? Apart from Elizabeth R, Eric and Ernie and The Muppets, can anyone remember anything else about Glenda Jackson's acting career? (Just remembered Women In Love but only because of the wrestling scene. Not that Glenda was in that bit...) I've seen her on stage before (at the Old Vic actually) - she was good. |
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Post by martin1965 on Oct 26, 2016 6:29:09 GMT
She was one of the first stars of the newly formed RSC in the 60s, she won two best actress oscars, she is in the best remembered sketch by our greatest comedy duo. A more than onsubstantial career. A four hour Lear, wow! Man up guys this is hardly news. As for leaving at the interval. I am going on 23/11 and am looking forward to it.
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Post by madsonmelo on Oct 26, 2016 6:52:05 GMT
Ouch, this was the overall production (play/musical) that I wanted to like the most, those comments tho..., but let's hope they can fix something in the previews and that Miss Jackson is at least very good and I'm happy that she does stage door.
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Post by loureviews on Oct 26, 2016 7:11:15 GMT
I am going next week. Four hours. I am expecting this to be good but it sounds, well, interesting to say the least.
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Post by Jan on Oct 26, 2016 7:40:28 GMT
Are any other parts gender-swapped ? Having a Queen Lear must change the parent/daughter relationship (assuming they are still daughters). You miss out on an interesting slant which is the queasy hint of an incestuous relationship between father and daughter(s) which only Jonathan Pryce was bold enough to make explicit.
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Post by Polly1 on Oct 26, 2016 7:46:14 GMT
She was one of the first stars of the newly formed RSC in the 60s, she won two best actress oscars, she is in the best remembered sketch by our greatest comedy duo. A more than onsubstantial career. A four hour Lear, wow! Man up guys this is hardly news. As for leaving at the interval. I am going on 23/11 and am looking forward to it. OK, sorry, completely off topic but I can't let you get away with that statement! The best remembered M & W sketch is the one with Andy Preview. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Oct 26, 2016 7:54:25 GMT
Are any other parts gender-swapped ? Having a Queen Lear must change the parent/daughter relationship (assuming they are still daughters). You miss out on an interesting slant which is the queasy hint of an incestuous relationship between father and daughter(s) which only Jonathan Pryce was bold enough to make explicit. The doctor in act 4 is a woman, but that's it as far as I know. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 8:11:55 GMT
I didn't see it as she was 'Queen' Lear. To me she WAS a man, a gender blind casting rather than swapping. All her clothes are ambiguous and her hair is relative short. In the first scene or two he attempts violence and u can see the panic in her two oldest daughters faces - here is a man that used to be a violent brute but with age has become pathetic and weak. In the scene with the oldest daughters betrayal he comes in a is thrown (and catches) a beer whilst chanting (they say the f word) with the lads
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 8:15:17 GMT
The Harry Potter kid was alright but he gave the same performance as in Hand to God and my mate said he was the same as every time he's seen him. Impressive but samey. No doubt one day he will be giving award winning performances but not today.
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Post by theatrelover123 on Oct 26, 2016 8:27:19 GMT
OK here is what I thought (of the first half anyway).
The staging was bad. The set was cavernous and sparse with no sense of time and place. The storm scene was embarrassing and many people were sniggering around me. A lot of people delivered their lines into the cavernous space or from the back of it and so lines was lost. In fact verse speaking was pretty bad all round. Many didn't really look like they knew the meaning behind their lines and lots was garbled - and I was 7 rows back in the Stalls. The modern dress costumes were all a bit non-descript and looked like they just walked in off the street.
Glenda was very good imho. She had a vulnerability and playfulness but I never really got strength and intimidation - which left the opening scene quite flat. I also never really got the sense of this being a royal household. There were embarrassing turns from Celia Imrie, Jane Horrocks (who should never be cast in ANYTHING!!), Simon Manyonda (as Edmund - just an odd performance), Rhys Ifans (just dull and lifeless - little sense of chemistry between the Fool and the King) and Harry Melling (played like a sixth former who fancied a go at acting). All played it like they had just walked out of drama school and never got any sense of depth to their characters.
The naming of the scenes as it went on just seemed pointless to me and only highlighted further how much it dragged. And boy it dragged!!!! It seemed to start well and was fine for the first scene. It was only when Edmund appeared that doubts started to creep in and were compounded more with each scene. This seemed like a missed opportunity for a good production to me but suffers from a lack of clear vision about how it would be staged, work done on the text and characters and some poor casting choices.
I have no idea if it got better in the second half but I think that life is too short to be made angry by theatre when I know how good it can be! I have seen some great performances and productions of Lear - this won't go down as one of them. This production often left me confused at times as to what was going on - which is odd as I know it well. I realise that this was after the very first public performance so should cut it some slack but don't think it could overcome some of its basic casting, staging and direction flaws. Will be interesting to see what the critics make of it.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 8:34:57 GMT
5* no doubt
When The Theatreboarders cry it stinks of sh*t
The paper press will think it's a big fat hit
(Not my best work but I'm giving it a B-)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 8:56:55 GMT
below is my subtle attempt at an interval pic on demands of the stepmother
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 8:59:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 9:02:07 GMT
I mean, I've seen some good Deborah Warner productions before, but that picture has honestly sent a shiver down my spine as I remembered the ones I didn't really love so much...
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Post by Snciole on Oct 26, 2016 9:30:08 GMT
About the direction. What's even the point of having an enormous stage if you always put the actors on the proscenium all the time?? What was the point of having Edmund masturbating while he was planning his brother's downfall? I mean, it sounds odd even to myself complainging about the view of a great ass, but I must confess I was perplexed. I am still looking forward to it due to this bit in bold. Lovely that Glenda did stage door. I am exhausted just reading about a four hour production. |
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Post by Polly1 on Oct 26, 2016 12:24:02 GMT
Standing places just released, I see. Good luck with that.
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Post by peggs on Oct 26, 2016 13:19:29 GMT
Due there tonight, am very glad am on end of row now as will aid escape if necessary.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 14:56:48 GMT
Good luck peggs, we'll be thinking of you!! :-)
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Post by lynette on Oct 26, 2016 14:58:13 GMT
Due there tonight, am very glad am on end of row now as will aid escape if necessary. Take one for the team. |
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