I couldn't believe my good luck when I got a text on Tuesday morning offering me a free ticket to the last preview night of King Lear at the Everyman.
As it turned out - it was a rather odd production. Pete Postlethwaite played Lear with great physical vulnerability - especially in the Dover scenes when wearing a floral summer dress! But I was disappointed that his spoken verse in the first act was not always clear, and was surprised by his lack of stage presence. Compared to the wonderful performance of John Shrapnel as Gloucester I felt somewhat underwhelmed. But then again, Postlethwaite had been in hospital over the weekend - so perhaps I didn't see him at his best.
There were lots of interesting staging ideas - but some didn't work and in others I thought the concept could have been taken further. Goneril was played as heavily pregnant at the start of the play and seemed to be ready to give birth durning the storm scene - but then just disappeared from the stage to return later with the infant. The blinding of Gloucester was suitably disgusting (Regan biting out one eye!).
A mixed bag - but well worth an unexpected Tuesday out!
