King Lear (2013, 2014)
| Synopsis | The Production | Photographs | Reviews |
|---|
Synopsis
The ageing Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, giving the biggest piece to the one who claims to love him most. When Cordelia, the youngest, refuses to match the false flattery of her sisters, she is banished from the kingdom.
Having relinquished his power to Regan and Goneril, and tormented by his misjudgement, the increasingly frail Lear descends into grief-fuelled madness.
Text from Chichester Festival Theatre
Announcements:
Casting Announcements
Veteran actor, Frank Langella will play the King.
Further casting: announcement (includes Steven).
When Steven informed this website that he would play the Earl of Kent in King Lear, he said that he was “looking forward to the challenge.”
Publicity:
Flyer from Chichester
The Production
The play was divided into two acts. Sessions were approximately 3 hours, with one interval.
| Venue | Dates | Session Times | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minerva Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre Oaklands Park Chichester West Sussex PO19 6AP |
31 October June to 30 November, 2013. Previews: 31 October 2013 to 5 November 2013, all 7:45pm Press Night: Friday 8 November 2013, 7pm Audio-described: Friday 22 November, 7:45pm, Saturday 23 November, 2:45pm Discussion: Thursday 28 November, 10 -11am, £5 |
Monday to Saturday 7.45pm Wednesday Matinee: 13 November, 3pm Thursday Matinee: 28 November, 1pm Saturday Matinees: 2.45pm |
Previews, Press Night: £24.50 Other performances: £32 |
| Harvey Theater Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) 651 Fulton Street Brooklyn NY 11217 |
7 January – 9 February, 2014. Press Previews: 12, 14, 15 January, 2014 |
Tuesday to Sunday evenings, 7:30pm Sunday Matinees: 3pm Saturday Matinees: 2pm (from 18 January) Gala Performance: 6 February, 5:30pm for 7:30pm performance Talk: A look into the BAM Archives, 30 January, 6pm Workshop: Behind the Scenes, 1 February, 9am—6pm (More details) |
Tickets: $25, 45, 75, 105 (weekday); $35, 55, 90, 125 (weekend) |
Cast and Creatives:
| CAST | CHARACTER |
|---|---|
| Frank Langella | King Lear |
| Denis Conway | Earl of Gloucester |
| Max Bennett | Edmund (bastard son to Gloucester) |
| Sebastian Armesto | Edgar (son to Gloucester) |
| Catherine McCormack | Goneril (daughter to Lear) |
| Lauren O’Neil | Regan (daughter to Lear) |
| Isabella Laughland | Cordelia (daughter to Lear) |
| Harry Melling | The Fool |
| Steven Pacey | Earl of Kent |
| Tim Treloar | Duke of Cornwall (husband to Regan) |
| Chu Omambala | Duke of Albany (husband to Goneril) |
| Alan Vicary | The Doctor |
| Tom Mothersdale | Oswald (steward to Goneril) |
| Rob Heaps | King of France, Knight, Guard |
| Michael Sheldon | French Commander, Servant |
| Parth Thakerar | Servant, Herald, Messenger |
| CREATIVES | |
|---|---|
| Writer | William Shakespeare |
| Director | Angus Jackson |
| Designer | Robert Innes Hopkins |
| Lighting Design | Peter Mumford |
| Sound Design | Fergus O’Hare |
| Composer | Isobel Waller-Bridge |
Photographs
Space dictates that we have only included photos featuring Steven Pacey.
Production Photographs:
Foreground: Steven Pacey as Kent
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Steven Pacey as Kent, Harry Melling as The Fool
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Sebastian Armesto as Edgar, Frank Langella as Lear, Steven Pacey as Kent and Harry Melling as The Fool
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Steven Pacey as Kent
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Rehearsal Photographs:
Steven Pacey as Kent, Frank Langella as Lear and Harry Melling as The Fool
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery;
Credit: Johan Persson
Steven Pacey as Kent
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery:
Credit: Johan Persson
Foreground: Harry Melling as The Fool and Steven Pacey as Kent
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Far Left: Steven Pacey as Kent; the rest of the cast
Photo: Chichester Festival Theatre Gallery
Credit: Johan Persson
Reviews
Professional Reviews
“Among the supporting cast Denis Conway’s moving Gloucester, Harry Melling’s touching, Stan Laurel-like Fool and Steven Pacey’s deeply humane and engaging Kent shine particularly brightly in this lucid and often tremendous production.”
Charles Spencer, The Telegraph
“There’s also excellent support from Denis Conway’s Gloucester and Steven Pacey’s Kent.”
Maxwell Cooter, What’s On Stage
| DATE | SOURCE | REVIEWER | STAR RATING |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 November, 2013 | The Telegraph | Charles Spencer | **** |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Guardian | Michael Billington | **** |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Times (only by subscription) | Dominic Maxwell | **** |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Portsmouth News | Jennie Rawling | not rated |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Stage | Gerald Berkowitz | not rated |
| 11 November, 2013 | What’s On Stage | Maxwell Cooter | **** |
| 11 November, 2013 | Buckingham Advertiser | Anne Cox | not rated |
| 11 November, 2013 | Financial Times | Ian Shuttleworth | *** |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Evening Standard | Fiona Mountwood | **** |
| 11 November, 2013 | The Argus | Dominic Smith | not rated |
| 15 November, 2013 | Daily Mail | Patrick Marmion | **** |
| 15 November, 2013 | Express | Neil Norman | **** |
| 17 November, 2013 | The Observer | Susannah Clapp | not rated |
Amateur Reviews
| DATE | SOURCE | REVIEWER | STAR RATING |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 November, 2013 | The Edge | Natalie Fordham | not rated |
| 4 November, 2013 | The Edge | not rated | |
| 9 November, 2013 | Peter Viney’s BLOG | Peter Viney | not rated |
| 10 November, 2013 | The Other Bridge Project | Poly Gianniba | not rated |
| 28 November, 2013 | Bedales Academic & Curriculum | Rufus Rock | not rated |
| 28 November, 2013 | There Ought To Be Clowns BLOG | not rated |
