KING LEAR, aka Kevin's Folly

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:07am

I've just returned from what's being touted as the theatrical event of the season--of a lifetime, if Oskar Eustis is to be believed--and found it to be, well, completely underwhelming in every way. I've seen a lot of bad Shakespeare in my time, and I while I wouldn't call James Lapine's current production "bad," I would definitely say it has squandered a lot of potential.

Kevin Kline is an able Shakespearean, but I couldn't help shaking the thought that he's completely miscast as Lear. His trademark naturalism is all wrong for the larger than life king, and half the time he seems to wander around the stage of the Anspacher aimlessly, reciting his lines as if he were reading a telephone book. And this is before his descent into madness, which came off totally unbelievable. It pains me to write that Kline is lackluster, but he really, really is here.

He's surrounded by several other poor performers: Laura Odeh is laughable as the always laughing Regan, while Brian Avers didn't seem to register a single human emotion. Philip Goodwin plays The Fool as if he'd just had a small stroke before walking onstage. Worst of all, though, is Logan Marshall-Green's Edmund; he's an actor with very few tricks, and often finds himself either over annunciating or just plain shouting.

There is some good, though: Kristen Bush is appropriately moving as Cordelia, and Angela Pierce presents Goneril as a proper stone cold bitch. Best of all, though, is Michael Cerveris' Kent; with this performance, he's announcing himself as a rising star of American Shakespearean interpretation.

Not that my comments matter, since the entire run is sold out and avant gardists will likely rave for Lapine's theatrics, but I sure as hell wasn't enthralled.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:14am

how;s Sondheim?

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:16am

I wasn't impressed. The music sounded like something an NYU grad student would put in the background of their experimental student film. Nothing to write home about, and kinda pointless. Most of the time, when the music was loud, you couldn't hear the actors over it.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:21am

shame.

[KQuill]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:30am

Well, since you loved Cerveris that kind of shows that you aren't out to hate everything about this show, so I believe you and your credibility. You know who I am talking about, like the people who say every principle in the Les Miz revival sucks, for example.

Too bad about Kline, although i'd still like to see for myself...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 7:08am

Glad you liked Cerveris....he was phenominal.

It was thrilling to see Kevin - I've never seen him perform live before and, as I've said many times before, I'd pay money to hear him read a Nancy Drew book. For that factor alone, I thought he was great.

That said, in retrospect, I tend to agree with you that he was disappointing. You're the 2nd person who said "he was walking around reciting lines from the phonebook." It's the perfect description.

[brainpolice23]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:33am

I remember over the summer, it was pouring rain at Shakespeare in the Park before a performance...and Kevin Kline was walking around on stage smoking a cigarette, in a terry cloth robe, reciting lines from King Lear, all while people were cleaning the stage around him. This made me think he is a really odd guy.

-sorry for the terrible punctuation and grammar

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:42am

I've been teaching high school English for 35 years now and have a strong background in Shakespeare, having attended the Shakespeare Institute in CT for several summers. However, I have to be honest here: I don't like KING LEAR.

LEAR lacks the soliloquies and soaring language that I love Shakespeare for. Granted, there are some wonderful aphorisms, but they don't compensate for plot holes that you can drive a truck through and great implausibility.

The last production of LEAR that I saw was the Christopher Plummer version at Lincoln Center. Was it 5 years ago? I wasn't impressed.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:46am

Dolly - I was told by a friend who accompanied me to the show (admittedly a Shakespeare freak) that Lear was Cordelia's play. Is that true? She didn't seem like she had much stage time (in this production, at least).

I'll be honest and say that I wasn't familiar with Lear before I saw it (the #1 reason to buy tickets was Kline's name). It didn't really do it for me....seemed all the action was quick and under-developed. Know what I mean?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:49am

Is it Cordelia's play? No. However, any production of LEAR would greatly benefit from a strong Cordelia--she's the wimpy sister compared to the meaty roles of Regan and Goneril.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 8:53am

Thanks very much for the clarification.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:39am

What a shame! I wanted desperately to see this because I would also go to hear Kline read Nancy Drew - or I thought I would.

But I disagree about Lear as a play. In a good production, your skin crawls to see the arrogance and corruption of power, and the injustice between generations. But it takes a top notch ensemble. I was lucky enough to see James Earl Jones years ago, with a cast that included Raul Julia and Rene Auberjonois. That's when you appreciate the interpersonal dynamics of Lear.

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 11:12am

Just a quick question I haven't been able to find the answer to. How long is the production? Thanks.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:14pm

Around 3 hours and 10 minutes.

I think Kevin Kline is one of the most brilliant American actors working today. Lear just isn't a natural fit for him, as Falstaff was several years ago. I hope to see him onstage again soon.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:17pm

I had forgotten that Marshall-Green was in this. I doubted him the first time I saw him on stage and he exceeded all of my expectations, so even though I kind of went "... huh?" when I heard he was doing Shakespeare, I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:20pm

Act I is about two hours, Act II is about an hour-ten/fifteen.

I thought the entire cast was great, with Bryggman and Cerveris standing out. Marshall-Green and Avers, too.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:32pm

I enjoyed Marshall-Green in DOG SEES GOD and PIG FARM, but he seemed really wrong here. He has no command of Shakespearean language, so he ends up shouting most of his lines. I still think he's a very good actor; this just isn't the right role or play for him.

Bryggman was really good. He always is.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:36pm

It's safe to say that he (Bryggman) and Cerveris are the standouts, I'll agree with you there.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:44pm

About 20 years from now, I'd love to see Cerveris playing Lear.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:46pm

Eh, 30.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 12:48pm

True. He still looks really young for someone in their late 40s.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:14pm

I'd say 15 to 20 years is about right. He'd be in his 60s then, which is usually the ideal age to do Lear due to the physical demands (carrying Cordelia etc...) and stamina required. While recent Lears like Plummer and Alvin Epstein were in their 70s and 80s, others like Kline (59), Andre de Shields (60), and Ian McKellan (67) were a bit younger.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:18pm

Isn't McKellan doing it in September at (the) BAM?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:21pm

Yep, as well as The Seagull (along the The RSC). Can't wait.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:24pm

Are tickets on sale yet? If executed properly, THAT could be the theatrical event of the year.