I have never been a huge fan of "King Lear". Over-wrought and over-long, the effect at least upon me is tedious. There is no effective humour to counterpoint the drama (as in the weakest of Shakespearean plays) and the Fool character is no substitute.
The play is about a monarch who divides up his kingdom between his three daughters, one of whom rejects said inheritance, and the resulting scramble for his power results in the King's descent into madness.
Micheal Hordern plays the title character of Lear, and he is actually pretty effective even when the plot loses it's focus now and then. He is given good support by Brenda Blethyn as Cordelia, his most virtuous daughter, Norman Rodway as the doomed Earl of Gloucester and Anton Lesser as Edgar among others.
The stagy direction and lack of pace are deadening, and muffle the effect of the performances. Technically, it is fine for the time though (again) less dependence on straightforward black-and-white backgrounds would have greatly enhanced the look of the play.
I still don't like "King Lear" but if you enjoy this play and you are a student of Shakespeare, this is still a competent enough production.
The play is about a monarch who divides up his kingdom between his three daughters, one of whom rejects said inheritance, and the resulting scramble for his power results in the King's descent into madness.
Micheal Hordern plays the title character of Lear, and he is actually pretty effective even when the plot loses it's focus now and then. He is given good support by Brenda Blethyn as Cordelia, his most virtuous daughter, Norman Rodway as the doomed Earl of Gloucester and Anton Lesser as Edgar among others.
The stagy direction and lack of pace are deadening, and muffle the effect of the performances. Technically, it is fine for the time though (again) less dependence on straightforward black-and-white backgrounds would have greatly enhanced the look of the play.
I still don't like "King Lear" but if you enjoy this play and you are a student of Shakespeare, this is still a competent enough production.