King Lear
by William Shakespeare
2:00 p.m. Wed. Mar 7
H28 $30.00 with Brian
Kevin Kline and Kristen Bush
understudies: Joaquin Torres for Logan Marshall Green as Edmund, Ryan McCarthy for Joaquin Torres's roles
The Public does not use understudies, so it was in a bit of a bind yesterday when Logan Marshall Green was struck down by a "medical emergency", as Oskar Eustis, the artistic director called it when he introduced the show today. He made what I assume is a rare preliminary appearance to tell us what had happened and that Joaquin and Ryan had a single emergency rehearsal the night before to prepare (in place of the scheduled performance). The jist of the speech was that he didn't know what kind of performances we would see, but he hoped we'd enjoy it regardless.
It proved unnecessary to caution us. The entire cast of young people were fine and dandy. Kristen Bush as Cordelia and Brian Avers as Edgar were especially good. Of the elder cast, my favorite was Larry Bryggman as the Earl of Gloucester.
But this show was all about Kevin Kline as King Lear. I had never seen King Lear, only read it sporadically. That, plus a strong desire to see Kevin do Shakespeare compelled me to take an afternoon off work for this. (I felt so decadent!)
As to the play, it has a political part (mostly concerning the maneuverings of the young people) and a familial part (mostly concerning loyalty and devotion between fathers and children--not a mother to be seen here). The political part was too dry for my tastes (bit difficult to get the excitement going when all the 'action' occurs offstage and you get the tail end of monologues about battles and such.) So, while the young people were all good actors, I found myself thinking, "hurry up and die, would you? Where's Kevin?" (eta: I really felt no connection or sympathy for these characters at all, so maybe the acting wasn't that great...or the caricatures were just too wooden.)
Because Kevin, you see, was mad from grief (pesky daughters!) and was wandering around on the sand pit of a stage in his underwear and a blanket, and that is a sight more compelling than some one announcing: 'The French hath landed 1000 leagues hence!' (Prior to this, though, people referenced his madness, but he didn't *seem* mad. As the NYT reviewer said, 'how did they know?') But, once the storm hits, Kevin retches, he roars, he raves, and he has moments of such quiet that you lean forward to hear him, as if his whispers do not even disturb the air around his mouth. Can I apply "brilliant" to this performance? I don't know. Perhaps "human" will be praise enough, as high a praise as I intend for it to be. (I'm looking forward to seeing Ian McKellan do it when RSC's production transfers to Brooklyn Academy of Music later, as I imagine he will emphasize the unhinging more.)
Michael Cerveris plays the loyal Kent, banished at the beginning and then back in disguise to follow and serve his master the King. (By the 3rd 'he'll never recognize me with my head shaved/covered in dirt/with a hat on even though he's known me my whole life', I started to wonder if anyone paid any attention to anyone else at all. How do you not recognize your brother in a scarf??) But back to Michael. The first few lines out of his mouth made me question if he could do Shakespeare at all. But then he pissed Lear off, and on his knees trembling before the man, Michael undertook a transformation in which his performance turned believable as he begged to not be banished before an impervious Lear. When he returned later to watch over the unknowing King, their scenes together were so tender, their relationship far closer than Lear had with his daughters. (Actually, most of the scenes that really got to me had Michael in them, so perhaps it was his performance more than anyone else that made this production worthy.)
A new song has been added. It occurs in Act 3, Scene VI. Lear has torn his clothes off, inspired by a nearly naked beggar (Edgar in disguise). The storm is pouring and the King will not take shelter. The Fool gives the King his coat, prompting Lear to give the Fool *his* coat, whereupon Kent drapes his own coat over Lear's shoulders, but the king will not be clothed. (It sounds farcical, but it was wrought with angst.) In despair, Kent embraces Lear, who seems unaware he is being hugged. Finally, Kent and the Fool (Philip Goodwin)(they all have fools, don't they?) usher the king down and cover him with a blanket. The Fool begins to sing a lullaby. Kent kneels beside him and they sing together. As he sings, Kent strokes Lear's hair. I wish I could remember the song. It was written especially for this production by Stephen Sondheim. Yes, that Sondheim. It offered a beautiful moment of peace that was sorely needed.
I want to give credit to Larry Bryggman and Brian Avers, who I have already mentioned, but their scenes as father and son were so well done--Edgar, betrayed by his brother Edmond and now pretending to be a mad beggar leading his father, who was blinded by a traitor, and does not know his son is his guide. When he finds out, his heart cannot take the joy and grief, and he dies. Sadly, we don't get to see this. We only hear about it later.
King Lear is reunited with his daughter Cordelia (oh, sunshine!) and they are carted off to prison under orders of whoever is running the country now (I kind of stopped caring, having divided the characters into: traitors (everyone except Lear, Kent, Fool, Gloucester, and Cordelia) and Not Traitors (see all under previous parenthesis)). Lear is happy to go because he'll get some rest and spend time with his favorite daughter again.
Then a bunch of stuff happens involving poison and suicide and Edgar kills Edmund, and all but 2 of the younger cast are killed, which is what we've been waiting for all along because we have gotten pretty sick of them.
Then Cordelia dies, which is not what we have been waiting for. At all! But, it's a tragedy, so there you go. Lear carries her body and collapses with her in his arms. Kevin's back was turned to me during this scene, but even without seeing his face, I could still feel the power of the moment. Kent stood near by, wanting to serve, but not knowing how, I think. Lear died then, and Kent stopped anyone from reviving him because he would not want that. It was truly sad, and all due to the wonderful performances. Kent and Edgar are given control of the Kingdom, though what Authority The Duke of Albany has to grant this control, I do not know. In any case, Kent says something about needing to travel somewhere, and he takes off. So, I don't know if that means he'll accept later or he's just gone...
Um. So that's King Lear. In conclusion: Yay Kevin! Yay Michael! Yay me for taking off work to see a matinee!