Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The magnificent Glenda Jackson leads an altogether enthralling KING LEAR

• By drediman
• May 17, 2019
• No Comments

Ruth Wilson and Glenda Jackson in “King Lear” by William Shakespeare at the Cort Theatre.

This week, I caught the current Broadway revival of King Lear at the Cort Theatre, starring the grand Glenda Jackson in the title role. Let’s get it out of the way upfront — as expected, Ms. Jackson is simply magnificent in the title role, a part she recently played to great acclaim across the pond (in a different production). Shakespeare’s prescient tragedy is inherently a play about aging, and no performer in the role that I’ve encountered has embodied that struggle as gutturally as this amazing actress (who deservedly won a Tony just last season for her unforgettable performance in Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women). Her anticipated interpretation of the fiendishly difficult part rises to the occasion with its controlled technique, raw fury, and mind-boggling stamina. That she’s a woman in this most coveted of men’s roles is besides the point – as it should be – simply due to the grandeur of her acting.

The response to director Sam Gold’s production has been decidedly mixed. Some critics were baffled by some of his choices, but I thought his staging was dramatically astute and altogether enthralling. As he exhibited in his intensely domestic production of Hamlet for the Public Theater (starring a superb Oscar Isaac as the troubled Danish prince), Mr. Gold once again shows a knack for treating Shakespearean plays as if they were new works. Every moment of this production is motivated by new discoveries to be had, an enticing quality for playgoers both new to and familiar with the tragedy. As with his Hamlet, Mr. Gold has turned Lear into essentially an intimate family drama, which may not be to everyone’s taste. He’s less successful with bringing to the fore the political and social discord of the play’s world at large, arguably an inherent component in the play’s dramaturgical landscape (I didn’t mind it a bit, though). Contributing not insignificantly to the emotional texture of the production is Philip Glass’s rich score – played live by an excellent string quartet that’s mostly onstage – which brings a welcome sort of cinematic quality to the panoramic play.

As for the rest of the cast, they are largely exceptional, particularly the women. In the dual role of Cordelia and the Fool, Ruth Wilson gives an astonishing performance, chock full of fresh and unexpected details that had me looking at these seemingly secondary roles anew. Like Ms. Jackson, the great Ms. Houdyshell excels as a gender-blind Glouster in a touching, grounded performance that broke my heart. As the wicked sisters Goneril and Regan, respectively, Elizabeth Marvel and Aisling O’Sullivan deliciously chew up the scenery, which was a total hoot to watch. Of the men, the always dependable John Douglas Thomas made for a compelling Kent, and Pedro Pascal was seductively villainous as Edmund. My only slight gripe was the slight mis-casting of Sean Carvajal as Edgar, who didn’t quite dig deep enough to shape a fully satisfying arc in the great role. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

KING LEAR
Broadway, Play
Cort Theatre
3 hours, 25 minutes (with one intermission)
Through July 7