'King Lear' is not for everyone but it is a moving and powerful play to me, and Shakespeare's text is poetic and haunting with many emotions. It is not one of my favourites of Shakespeare's plays and it took a while for me to get behind Lear (which is dependent on how the role is performed), those being introduced to the play may be put off by him in the first act. That still doesn't stop 'King Lear' from being a powerful experience when done right, and likewise with Lear as a character.
There have been many fine productions of 'King Lear' and many fine interpreters of the challenging title role. This Shakespeare Globe production certainly delivers on the fine interpreters part, but when it comes to a production overall to me there are better ones of 'King Lear' available. There is a lot to recommend about this, especially from a performance, emotional and character interaction perspective, but a few elements were not to my taste. Absolutely understood what the production was trying to do, but it could have been done a little better.
For me, this 'King Lear's' weak link was the production values. Even for the setting, it was one ugly looking production with sets that are far too simple and sparse and costumes that are rather phoned in and almost too clean for a homeless setting. More could have been done with the space, which is more vast than what is seen here, and other Shakespeare productions have fared better at making the audience feel more involved in the interaction.
While understanding what the production was trying to do, part of me felt that more could have been done with the concept, with the production values being in need of more grit and the more tense parts needing more tension, while other parts lay the desolation and the poverty on too thick to the point it's shoved in the face.
However, this 'King Lear' benefits massively by the uniformly superb acting. Kevin R McNally is a towering Lear and succeeds in making him a complex character that one feels frustration at at first but roots and emphasises for him later. The cruelty, intense madness, devastating poignancy and even a little humour are nailed. Sirine Saba and Emily Bruni are frighteningly venomous as Regan and Goneril, Joshua James chills and Anjana Vasan and Burt Caesar touch the heart. Saskia Reeves is another successful stab at gender reversal, which has varied in Shakespeare but has been done well numerous times in recent years including two times Kent was played by a woman (here and in the National Theatre Live production with Ian McKellen).
Character interaction is spot on, especially between Lear and Cordelia. There are many scenes that still have their power, especially the storm scene, the harrowing treatment of Gloucester and the truly moving father daughter reunion. There is an exception visually in a good way and that is some truly atmospheric lighting in the storm scene, which is also where the production's very haunting music score most shines. Shakespeare's text still shines and wonderfully delivered in clarity and feeling.
Overall, a lot to recommend but could have been even better. 7/10.
