Review: King Lear

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of King Lear.
Unsurprisingly, there has been an exceedingly large amount of hype surrounding Ian McKellen's return to the stage in the titular role of King Lear, which has has stated will be his 'last big Shakespeare part'. I had previously seen him perform in No Man's Land at the Wyndham's Theatre in 2016, and I consider myself to be a great fan of his acting. This production had been sold out for the vast majority of its run, however I was extremely fortunate to have gained a cancellation ticket.

As expected, Ian McKellen gives a masterclass of a performance in the role of King Lear. The most admirable aspect of McKellen's acting abilities is the way in which he is so natural when performing on the stage; every word that he utters flows perfectly. His presence upon the stage is truly quite something. He is highly captivating from start to finish, holding the audience in the palm of his hands until Lear's final breath. McKellen plays Lear's descent into madness particularly well, making the progression of the character from beginning to end clear to all audience members. As well as McKellen, there are multiple performances in this production that are also highly impressive. Kate Bushell and Claire Price in the roles of deceitful daughters  Regan and Goneril are both outstanding. They portrayed the two characters exceedingly well, convincingly showing the sly nature of the two sisters. It was particularly interesting to see how both characters changed once they came into power and were no longer overshadowed by their father, the former King. Luke Thompson, as Edgar, is also phenomenal. Half-way through the play, Edgar takes on the alter-ego of 'Poor Tom', which allowed Thompson to demonstrate his wide range of acting abilities. Edgar is a kind, sane and loving being, whereas Poor Tom is a cruel, mad and vulgar character, and I feel that Thompson clearly contrasted Edgar with his alter-ego. In this production, the role of Kent has had his gender reversed, and this new interpretation of the character is performed by Sinéad Cusack. When I initially heard about this gender reversal I was not sure what to think, however having now seen the production I really appreciate this change. It helped to add an extra layer to the text, and at the end of the play when Kent announces that she intends on killing herself in response to Lear's death, it was perhaps hinted that the female-Kent had in fact been infatuated with her fallen King. Cusack excels in this role, and is particularly good at demonstrating the change in character once Kent is forced to disguise herself as a man. Finally, last but certainly not least, Danny Webb as Gloucester was remarkable. Gloucester goes through, arguably, the largest progression of character throughout the course of the play. The character begins as an arrogant and somewhat rude Earl, only to go through a major downfall which leads him depressed and suicidal. The character of Gloucester in act one is the polar opposite to what the audience then see in act two. Webb captured this perfectly, giving an astonishing performance in the process.

A wide range of costumes, designed by Paul Willis, can be seen throughout King Lear, with everything from royal cloaks to military combat uniforms. All costumes featured were of a very good quality. The lighting, which has been designed by Oliver Fenwick, was equally as impressive. The lighting, along with the music which accompanies this production, were essential in creating an intense and thrilling atmosphere, particularly during the battle scenes. The accompanying music to the infamous 'eye-gouging' scene was also rather interesting. Whilst Cornwall and Regan take part in horrifically torturing their opposition, the Four Seasons hit song 'Beggin'' is played, making for a fascinating juxtaposition. The special effects of rain used towards the end of act one was also excellent and very creative. This little extra touch gave the play a strong essence of reality and helped to make the scene in which this takes place far more dramatic.

The featured star of King Lear is, drum roll please... IAN MCKELLEN!

As I previously stated, there is a lot of hype regarding McKellen's performance as King Lear and deservedly so. He is so utterly gripping to watch, and as an audience member it is difficult to take my eyes off of him for even a second. If this is to be McKellen's last ever Shakespeare performance, he has certainly gone out on a high.

Now for my final verdict on King Lear. I give King Lear...

This production of King Lear sports a handful of exceptional performances as well as some rather interesting creative aspects, and therefore I have decided to give it four stars.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer