Stacy Keach takes the stage in the title role in Shakespeare's tragedy about love and duty.
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I guess that, like with Marmite, you either love or hate this one--which in my opinion speaks to this production's power. I loved it and as a Lear fan, thought the reimagining as a rapidly self-destructing Yugoslavia-like state was brilliant. Of course it was disturbing. The play is meant to be. Shakespeare explores the limits of human depravity and although this version takes it to the extreme (bodybags, graphic sexuality, AKs galore), it is still horrifically believable. I wish it weren't, but even 400 years ago Shakespeare was not afraid to point out just what humans are capable of. Easily the best play I have seen.
I saw this last night and have to say that I was disappointed with this performance of King Lear. Having seen this performed at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Oregon Festival, this was by far my least favorite. Maybe I am just too old school, but there was really very little redeeming qualities in this production in my opinion. I thought that Stacy Keach was way over the top with this performance. Some of the acts just left me asking "why"?? I also suggest chaking out the Ian Holm version.
I don't know why people rated this play so low. True, the play omitted some of the original work, and took some liberties with how people died and such, but this is what made it great. By the time the play was over, I was gape-mouthed at what Joseph Conrad might call 'The horror, the horror.' This version brought out all the ugliness of Lear cast in a more modern light without sacrificing the story. Stacy Keach did a fine King Lear (my fav is Ian Holm), and each of the other characters showed their blackness true to Bard form. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hardly noticed the 3 hours gone by. I would recommend it to anyone, even if they didn't know Shakespeare!
Why can't people do Shakespeare as Shakespeare. The performance was ok for what the actors were told to due but other than that...I have never been to a performance before where the entire audience didn't clap but that's what happened here.
I agree with the other negative comments. The play was taken too out of context for my taste. Full-frontal nudity is one thing, but rape and numerous acts of fornication are too much. I thought the sets were poor. I was very disappointed by the recorded music. If you must resort to recorded music for a live performance, please turn down the volume.
Sadly, I was disappointed with this production. It felt like they were trying to compete with the latest R-rated thriller and forgot about the characters completely. The more traumatic the scene could be, the better. The Canadian mini-series “Slings and Arrows” handled it in a much more satisfying manner.
I thought this production was generally creative and interesting and has a number of especially strong performances (my favorite from Kim Martin-Cotten as Goneril.) The play falls short in one serious regard. This Lear is played as a thoroughly noxious Eastern European warlord. The only hint of sympathy is the picture of a younger, possibly more just leader. I think the idea may have been to turn Lear's personal tragedy into a national tragedy, and some scenes, such as the battle between France and Albany, have this feeling. But this element never receives full treatment. Instead, the play ends with our war criminal-hero Lear holding the (naked...?) body of Cordelia as we are left to think: Well, yeah, but who the hell cares about you?
KL is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and I have not anticipated a play so much in ages - which makes it all the more disappointing that this was, hands-down, the single worst production I have ever seen. I was literally sitting with my head in my hands, and if I had not been in the center of our row, I would have walked out. The sets and costumes are asinine - have you seen the "Friends" episode where Joey is in a WWII movie? That's sort of what the second half of this was like. I was just waiting for a spaceship to lower down. The acting was heavy-handed, we could barely hear the dialogue, and oh, let's not forget the brutal rape scene. What's that? You don't remember a rape scene in KL? Exactly. I'm still pissed off about it.
I, too, saw Bob Falls' production of Lear at the Goodman with Stacy Keach in the title role. It was one powerful, powerful piece of theatre. Unbelievably timely, since the "fall" is brought about by the hubris of the leader. And Keach was truly remarkable. Perhaps the staging was too raw and too emotionally real for the prior writer's sensibilities. But, oh, how it adds to the punch; tragedy doesn't begin to describe the avoidable destruction that this Lear leaves us with. And clearly, even after "a few years," Falls' Lear has impact lasting enough to prompt the prior writer's "warning."
I'd actually give this no stars if I could. I saw this production a few years ago at the Goodman Theatre, when Falls first mounted it. The production is tragic, because the play isn't. There's no tragic fall, just buffoonery. Lots of unnecessary simulated sex, "pound the theatre-goer over the head" political commentary, and no subtlety whatsoever. Do yourself a favor - stay home and watch the DVD of Ian McKellen and the Royal Shakespeare Company's production.
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