Comments on: Your First King and Your Favourite?

By: Geraldine

Geraldine — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:34:46 +0000

I have to disagree most strongly with Seymour as Michael Gambon’s Lear was one of my defining theatregoing experiences. It literally left me speechless as, for 15 minutes after it ended, I couldn’t formulate sentences. Ian Holm is very high on my list as is John Wood with his gigantic mouse and fabulous Edgar (Linus Roache) and Edmund (Ralph Fiennes). Bottom is Robert Demeger’s “attempt” with Deborah Warner. Ugh!

By: Violet Rook

Violet Rook — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:24:16 +0000

Robert Stephens was a noteable ‘King Lear’, which I saw at The Barbican.
But I think that it is often the combined portrayals of the
Fool and Poor Tom which gives a great production that extra
something. There have been especially great performances of Poor Tom for example Ronald Pickup and Simon Russell Beale.

By: seymour wexler

seymour wexler — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:10:00 +0000

My favorite Lear is Robert Stephens.

The most horrible one was michael gambon only to be saved by the fool who was wonderful.

By: Anon

Anon — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:36:35 +0000

I have only seen three Lears and all at the RSC. Nigel Hawthorne in Yukio Ninagawa’s haunting Japanese production, Corin Redgrave and most recently Sir Ian McKellan. My nomination would be for Trevor Nunn’s production with Sir Ian because it felt an important piece of theatre tragic, touching, funny and emotionally draining. I left thinking I would not need to see another Lear for a long while!

Anon.