King Lear, Kenneth Branagh – The Shed, 2024

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 5:24am

Kenneth Branagh to direct himself as Lear in London (Autumn 2023) and New York (Autumn 2024).

https://kinglearbranagh.com/

[Robbie516]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 1:35pm

This is gonna be great…he’s a great actor

[The Rural Juror]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 1:39pm

I think we all know who we'd like to see as his Lady, but no way it happens 

[Nolan LuPone]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 2:18pm

King Lear doesn't have a Lady?

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 2:31pm

Yes, Lear has three daughters, but no wife. You might be thinking of Macbeth. 
I guess I'll be going to London to see this. The Wyndhams is an amazing West End theatre, it actually has comfortable seats and legroom in the orchestra (stalls). The Shed is a dreadful performance space in New York, it was clearly designed by people who have no idea how to use a performance space or what a theatre seat should be. 

[The Rural Juror]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 3:38pm

Nolan LuPone said: "King Lear doesn't have a Lady?"

My Nyquil brain is really doing me dirty today. I was totally misreading this as MacBeth. Woof. Don't mind me...

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 3:51pm

The Rural Juror said: "I think we all know who we'd like to see as his Lady, but no way it happens"

 

Even if Lear HAD a Lady, who would "we all like to see"?  Honestly have no idea who you are referring to.  His ex-wife Emma Thompson?

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/28/23 at 3:54pm

two ladies tickets said: "Yes, Lear has three daughters, but no wife. You might be thinking of Macbeth.
I guess I'll be going to London to see this. The Wyndhams is an amazing West End theatre, it actually has comfortable seats and legroom in the orchestra (stalls). The Shed is a dreadful performance space in New York, it was clearly designed by people who have no idea how to use a performance space or what a theatre seat should be."

 

I don't know what you've seen at The Shed that would make you think that -- but the 2 shows I've seen there -- Search for Signs of Intelligent Life and then Straight Line Crazy were 2 of the best (and most comfortable) theatre seating experiences I've ever had.

 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/21/23 at 11:54pm

Today was the first day of performances in London!

EDIT: Image of curtain call via Twitter

Updated On: 10/22/23 at 11:54 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/22/23 at 2:24pm

two ladies tickets said: "Yes, Lear has three daughters, but no wife. You might be thinking of Macbeth.
I guess I'll be going to London to see this. The Wyndhams is an amazing West End theatre, it actually has comfortable seats and legroom in the orchestra (stalls). The Shed is a dreadful performance space in New York, it was clearly designed by people who have no idea how to use a performance space or what a theatre seat should be."

Are you trying to get a rise out of people.  In the two times I have been in this theatre, I have been very comfortable and didn't have to move around heads in front of me.  I was in the center section both times, which might have made a difference, if you were not.

I have to admit that the only thing I did not like -- which did not detract from my enjoyment of the actual performance -- was that the space was so sterile.  I like me some Broadway (and even better, London) posh anytime.  In the final analysis, however, I will go for comfort and sitelines.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 10/28/23 at 8:26am

Anyone catch this in London yet?

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/28/23 at 8:44am

Play Esq. said: "Anyone catch this in London yet?"

Mixed reviews on theatreboard

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 10/28/23 at 6:35pm

Branagh just seems too soft to be playing the great tragic roles. 

[BETTY22]

Posted: 10/28/23 at 6:57pm

Friends in London say this is fantastic. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 10/28/23 at 8:07pm

I, too, have friends in London who know members of the cast. They said to experience something extraordinary with this production. I wonder, though, since it's only doing 50 performances in London this fall, why not move it to NYC in the spring instead of next fall?

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 11/2/23 at 4:08am

Critical reception mixed to poor, including an unimpressed review from the New York Times

[B212323]

Posted: 11/2/23 at 2:13pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "I, too, have friends in London who know members of the cast. They said to experience something extraordinary with this production. I wonder, though, since it's only doing 50 performances in London this fall, why not move it to NYC in the spring instead of next fall?"

I assume because of Branagh's schedule - there must be another project/s he's doing in between. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 2:30pm

Performance schedule set for The Shed: 50 shows from October 26-December 15

Tickets go on sale April 19

[inception]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 2:45pm

Interesting note on The Shed's website:

"Running time: Approximately two hours, no intermission"

They must have cut a lot.

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 3:26pm

inception said: "Interesting note on The Shed's website:

"Running time: Approximately two hours, no intermission"

They must have cut a lot."

I saw this in London. Now, keep in mind this is just my opinion and art is subjective but, this is clearly a vanity project for Branagh.
The show has been cut down to the major Lear moments with just enough extraneous character dialogue to forward the plot along. In London, the majority of the cast was made up of RADA students, so it was wonderful to see amazing people just out of school or some still finishing up school, making their West End debut doing Shakespeare but the production was very lackluster. 

What was really unsettling was the fact that Branagh went out of his way make himself look like some type of sexy Hollywood action star. Dyed hair, dyed facial hair, and a lot of gratuitous moments of seeing his washboard abs, very un-Lear like. Most actors wait until they are of a certain age to play this role and while he is the right age, he and the costume designer did everything they could to make him look a lot younger.
The reviews and word of mouth were not kind. It was not nominated for any Olivier awards, and not one person has made any comment about it being overlooked or felt he was snubbed. 

Updated On: 3/20/24 at 03:26 PM

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 3:37pm

The tragedy of this production is that it's depriving New York of Patrick Page's Lear, which was the most astonishing acting performance I think I've ever seen.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 3:59pm

No. It is not.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 4:49pm

inception said: "Interesting note on The Shed's website:

"Running time: Approximately two hours, no intermission"

They must have cut a lot."

 

Sorry, but "approximately 2 hours" (which usually means more like 2h 20mins) is just too damn long to sit in an uncomfortable theatre seat-- especially for Shakespeare.

 

[inception]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 5:00pm

JSquared2 said: "

Sorry, but "approximately 2 hours" (which usually means more like 2h 20mins) is just too damn long to sit in an uncomfortable theatre seat-- especially for Shakespeare.


I know I only enjoy Shakespeare when I'm standing for 3+ hours in the open air while gnawing on a fresh cabbage, knowing I can relieve myself of excess ale right into the saw dust on the floor below me.

 

[Jmuep2]

Posted: 3/20/24 at 9:02pm

JSquared2 said: "inception said: "Interesting note on The Shed's website:

"Running time: Approximately two hours, no intermission"

They must have cut a lot."



Sorry, but "approximately 2 hours" (which usually means more like 2h 20mins) is just too damn long to sit in an uncomfortable theatre seat-- especially for Shakespeare.

"

When I saw this in London, my memory is it was closer to 1:50 than 2 hours.