KING LEAR, aka Kevin's Folly- Page 2

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 2:27pm

I know they're on sale to Friends of BAM (I got a flyer from them a few weeks ago). I think they go on sale to the general public fairly soon.

[Yankeefan007]

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

Thanks for the info.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 4:37pm

The flyer that I got for Lear/Seagull said that THE SEAGULL will only have 3 performances, and that they are already all sold out due to member demand.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 4:51pm

Too bad.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 4:58pm

Mmmm, Ian McKellan in The Seagull (playing Trigorin I suppose)? Sounds genius.
No one has really talked much about the Sondheim music, guess it wasn't a stand-out.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 5:23pm

All he did was write incidental music.

[joshy]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 5:28pm

"Mmmm, Ian McKellan in The Seagull (playing Trigorin I suppose)?"

Trigorin?! He's wayy too old for Trigorin. I know Arkadina thinks she's younger than she is, but they still aren't senior citizens yet! He's playing Sorin.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 5:36pm

Yes, he's playing Sorin.

I really want the current revival of THE SEAGULL, with Kristin Scott Thomas and Chiwetel Ejiofor, to transfer to Broadway...

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 5:44pm

Haha, sorry, yeah that does make more sense. I always forget that Sorin is the other major male role in the play.

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 9:27pm

Cerveris was phenomenal? That's interesting, I don't think I've ever heard anyone call him that. Yay for him.

Man, I wish I could see this. I feel sad.

[MissNY]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 9:22pm

Has anyone attempted rush for King Lear? I'd love to know what time the line starts to form.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 9:25pm

Cerveris was the best I've ever seen him.

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 12:17am

Saw it tonight and absolutely adored it.

A few Les Mis cast members were there.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 12:32am

The BEST you've ever seen Cerveris? I'd have to strongly disagree that it's his best; he did a nice job, but I don't think he was particularly great, nor do I think his work in this show is anything near as wonderful as what he did in Assassins.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:24am

It ain't easy to go from musical theater to Shakespeare, especially when you're in rehearsals for both at the same time (Lear/LoveMusik). Cerveris is giving a phenominal performance that not only proves that he's an extremely versitile actor but also proves that he's not just a one trick pony (ever notice that his stage roles are generally the same?)

[Stagedoor2]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 3:53pm

Maybe it’s because I’m not as well versed in Shakespeare as others, but I saw this production yesterday afternoon and enjoyed it. I was glad that I re-read the play last week, because my college Shakespeare class was many (wow – could it be 20?) years ago.

I thought all of the actors did a fine job, especially the young man playing Edgar. I didn’t care for the Fool much, but that’s also my least favorite character in the play. It was fun to see Michael Cerveris in a different kind of role and I’ve never seen Kevin Kline perform live before, so it was all good. But I know that somewhere my grandmother is smiling and happy that John Dixon (Larry Bryggman’s character on As The World Turns) is finally a good guy.

I was able to get a rush ticket and for the person who asked, the line started around 11am for the 2pm show (tickets went on sale at 1pm).

[YourLilAssassin]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:50pm

Does anyone know how many tickets they set aside for rush each performance? Are they sold in sets of two sitting near each other, or is it more along the lines of wherever they have a spare seat? Thanks

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 10:32pm

10 tickets are usually set aside for rush.

I was with a party of 3 and we sat in the last row on the right side. I think that's where most of the rushers sat, though, they also might just sell what's left over.

[Qfan]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 12:23am

Well 20 minutes ago they just extended it for a week longer and i found myself with 2 tickets in the 30 dollar section. I was wondering how obstructed the view would be from a12 and 14? I naturally snatched them just for the fact that kevin kline is my favorite actor.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 12:47am

I saw it today. I've seen 2 other productions of Lear and while this was not my favorite, I still loved it very, very much. I have to agree that Michael Cerveris is a wonderful Kent. Shakespeare suits him.

I'm torn about Kevin Kline. At times, he was brilliant, but at others, he struck me as being miscast for the role. Perhaps I'm used to seeing an older Lear - but there seemed to be something lacking in his portrayal. That...senile lunacy one expects from Lear.

Overall, though, the production is beautifully staged.

Seats A12 and 14 ARE obstructed. I think they're right in front of a column, and it would be difficult to see the scenes that take place in the higher platforms. But the configuration of the theater makes it so that any seat has a pretty good view.

[Qfan]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:02am

Thanks for your response BroadwayChica.

I was wondering if he signs after the show and where the stage door would be. I've never been to the public theatre and im still in shock about the extention falling right into the middle of my NY trip.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:04am

I saw it tonight; I'm hardly qualified to make any big judgments on Shakespeare because I haven't seen a lot of it nor have I read nearly as much as I should. I have very little to base judgment on, especially of character interpretations. But, for whatever little it's worth, I really enjoyed it even though blood and guts and all that death are not usually where I gravitate. I thought the set was fantastic and that it was overall very well-directed. The music is beautiful and very evocative, but Sondheim certainly didn't have to be the one to write it -- it's nothing any decent composer couldn't have come up with and he probably did it in a day. Some of the acting left a bit to be desired but I thought Kline and Cerveris was fantastic. Marshall-Green was the biggest surprise for me. I doubted him when I heard he was cast in Swimming in the Shallows and he proved all of my "psh, television actor!" elitist doubts out of mind. He was fantastic in Pig Farm as well, and really solidified my view of him as a very versatile talent, but I still wasn't sure about the idea of him doing Shakespeare. His performance was wonderful; he's very natural on stage. Overall, the thing I loved most about the production is the huge, divine sense of theatricality it has (largely by virtue of the text) and how intensely dramatic it was. Even if I'm not generally well-versed in Shakespeare, such heightened theatricality is something I can always appreciate.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:31am

Definitely agree about Marshall-Green. I thought he was a fierce Edmund, and was definitely one of the highlights of the production. And not too bad on the eyes, either.

And the fact that Sondheim helped compose the score is overrated. Like emcee said, it's pleasant enough music, but..so what? It suits the production fine, but is hardly memorable.

I should add that while I'm still unsure about Kevin Kline's overall performance, the man is a very gifted theater actor, and it's a pleasure to see him onstage. Like I said, he was absolutely brilliant at times - I just feel he's a bit too young for the part.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:25am

That's definitely the problem - the fact that everyone says he's too young....and the fact that his body is more impressive than most of the younger people on stage.