Director Titas Halder brings King Lear to the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, in a production that does justice to Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy.
In an attempt to move into retirement and with no male heir, King Lear (Ian McDiarmid) divides his land between two of his three daughters, forcing the third into exile in France. Much of the play follows Lear as he falls into madness, following the treachery of his daughters who spurn him after they gain their inheritance. Meanwhile, the Earl of Gloucester makes similar misjudgements, trusting one son over another to his detriment. The play spirals towards a finale of war and death and misery in a play that is debatably Shakespeare’s greatest work.
The cast is generally very good. Mark Holgate is a force of nature as Kent, Max Revell uses his impressive athletic abilities to reinvent the Fool to great effect, and the rest of the ensemble provide unique performances that pair well with each other. Fode Simbo takes the most complex character of the play and makes it his own, pulling characters and audience members alike into Edmund’s web of lies while walking a tightrope between hero and villain. Give Simbo fifty years and he’ll be playing Lear.
McDiarmid is sensational, unsurprisingly. The Olivier winner most famous for his work on the screen reminds the audience what a true titan of the stage he is. Like Hamlet’s title character, King Lear requires a certain kind of actor not always readily available: an established, iconic actor at the twilight of their career. McDiarmid fits the bill perfectly. The production pulls at the strings of the audience, McDiarmid both a terrifying example of the world order falling to pieces, and an elderly relative losing their senses and not being cared for. McDiarmid receives a standing ovation for a performance, and a career, well worthy of it.
Set and costume designer Richard Kent keeps the stage sparse, with little present besides the actors. Lots of (possibly too much) fake blood, lots of smoke, and a round centre circle vaguely reminiscent of King Arthur. The costumes are loosely period with a healthy addition of leather, giving the play a nondescript dystopian feel. Poor Tom’s costume especially is excellent.
Similarly, the lack of props refuses to let King Lear be tied to a single era. Ryan Day’s lighting, and the use of ample dry ice, helps complete the spartan scene, leaving the play in the murky world of dreams and nightmare. The use of real fires for the torches is a nice touch, which helps to pull the audience into the drama without it feeling like they are at the theatre.
Director Titas Halder, who wrote the phenomenal Foal, which debuted at Finborough Theatre in London this year, proves once again he is one of the key figures of contemporary British theatre. Halder worked as Associate Director on the acclaimed 2011 Lear starring Derek Jacobi and has returned to make the play his own. King Lear is a triumph. In a time where world politics are increasingly becoming polarised, the world seems to be on the brink of collapse and very possibly war, and the last two American Presidents have been accused of senility, King Lear is as relevant as it’s ever been.
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