King Lear

Reviewing the Melbourne opening night of Bell Shakespeare’s King Lear didn’t start off too well for me, almost clinging to the rafters in the second back row stalls of the Playhouse. (Sitting exactly on the very end of the aisle opposite the usher’s chair, at least I was close to the amenities). However I optimistically figured that this might be a more authentic manner in which to assess the production.

And why not consider this an even more genuine way to review Shakespeare? The man after all, is still one of the world’s most renowned playwright's, whose works are entrenched with enough vigor and vitality that they regularly transfixed audiences of up to 3000, almost everyone at that time standing for hours, in the Globe Theatre (which first opened its doors in 1599).

But it was not to be. In between watching the usher - who very kindly assisted people that needed to go in and out of the theatre for a bathroom break because the first act was almost two hours long, and squinting to actually recognize expression on the actors' faces from a distance, all that was memorable of Bell Shakespeare’s opening night in Melbourne, and of the company’s "acclaimed" King Lear staring John Bell and celebrating 20 years in the business is this:

The actress who played Regan had to read her role because Leah Purcell had unexpectedly pulled out (why was there no understudy?) and John Bell actually forgot his lines.

An intense feeling of worry and disappointment started to quickly seep in. It was all so unfortunate. I had been recently mesmerized by the MTC production of Richard III, which I spruiked to everyone and anyone I met on the street. And not surprisingly I was expecting something comparable from Bell Shakespeare, who are after all in the business of producing Shakespeare.

Add to this the dire ploddingness, shrieking voices and poor articulation of this Bell Shakespeare production, it all added up to an incomprehensible and unmemorable King Lear (for me at least).

And sitting where I was on the outer so to speak, the fact that in the end I couldn’t see the actors’ expressions well enough to know if they too were in as much discomfort as I, may have in retrospect been a blessing.

King Lear by Bell Shakespeare
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Marion Potts
Featuring John Bell

27 May - 12 Jun 2010
Playhouse