King Lear, recommendation Options

[Lynette]

It is very , very good. Clear, well paced, beautifully directed and no tricksy updating; set cleverly in a Russian inspired crumbling palace where guns and swords can co exist; Ian MK excellent. Spontaneous standing ovation and I reckon they'll get that for every performance. I can't remember the last standing ovation at the RSC. King Lear, the play, has plenty to say about our world and the Elizabethan world it emeged from and I found this production conveyed all this. [It ended efficiently at 10.30.]

[Jan Brock]

It is very , very good. Clear, well paced, beautifully directed and no tricksy updating; set cleverly in a Russian inspired crumbling palace where guns and swords can co exist; Ian MK excellent. Spontaneous standing ovation and I reckon they'll get that for every performance. I can't remember the last standing ovation at the RSC. King Lear, the play, has plenty to say about our world and the Elizabethan world it emeged from and I found this production conveyed all this. [It ended efficiently at 10.30.]

Expectations have been so high for this production that it is good to know they have been fulfilled. Let's see what the critics say (though of course we can guess now that MB will be unconvinced)

[Lynette]

Jan, my dear, how can you value the critics' opinions above mine? Whatever they say, don't let them put you off seeing a remarkable production.

[Jan Brock]

Jan, my dear, how can you value the critics' opinions above mine? Whatever they say, don't let them put you off seeing a remarkable production.

I don't. I accept your opinion. I am only interested in the reaction of certain critics to see what gymnastics they have to go through to avoid praising a Trevor Nunn Shakespeare productions that (almost) everyone else (especially audiences) like - the Old Vic Richard II and Hamlet were recent examples. I have, of course, already booked to see this production.

[armadillo]

Michael Billington gave Richard II three stars which I thought was about right. It was a good workmanlike production but certainly not outstanding except in any way except for Spacey's excellent performance (which Billington praised).

[Jan Brock]

Michael Billington gave Richard II three stars which I thought was about right. It was a good workmanlike production but certainly not outstanding except in any way except for Spacey's excellent performance (which Billington praised).

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, but the fact that it won the Whatsonstage Award for "Outstanding Shakespearean Production" of the year (in addition to Spacey getting assorted acting awards) indicates that many do not agree. In any event, let's see what MB says this time - he might confound me by NOT having the most negative opinion from amongst the major critics, but I doubt it.

[Alexandra]

Oh, please, Jan. Richard II won the WOS award, as Kevin Spacey did, because there are thousands of Kevin Spacey fans all over America who voted for it despite not having seen it! I'm sorry, but winning the WOS award means precisely nothing in terms of merit.

Like armadillo, I personally thought it was a 3 star production with a 3.5 to 4 star performance from Spacey.

[Jan Brock]

Oh, please, Jan. Richard II won the WOS award, as Kevin Spacey did, because there are thousands of Kevin Spacey fans all over America who voted for it despite not having seen it! I'm sorry, but winning the WOS award means precisely nothing in terms of merit.

Like armadillo, I personally thought it was a 3 star production with a 3.5 to 4 star performance from Spacey.

I always like a conspiracy theory - any facts to back it up ?

Anyway, it seems the critics will not be reviewing King Lear for a long time now, probably just before it closes, which strikes me as the perfect arrangement for something which is sold-out anyway.

[Alexandra]

I always like a conspiracy theory - any facts to back it up ?

Yes: I gave you the facts. You probably mean do I have any evidence. Yes, I do, but short of calling one of my friends (an American Kevin Spacey fan) as a witness, you'll have to take my word for it. Or not. It's obvious, anyway - are you really not aware that whenever an actor with a fan site is nominated for anything depending on an internet vote, the injunction to vote goes round the constituency? That's why well-known people tend to win internet votes even if they were quite hopeless, including the WOS awards, and why they are worth so little (albeit that they're fun, so why not?)

[Alexandra]

Incidentally they are doing a running feature on this production on Radio 4's Today programme - there are lots of interviews, clips etc at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/..._20070404.shtml