Joseph Kloska, Kenneth Branagh (Photo: Marc J. Franklin)

King Lear

By Deirdre Donovan

The legendary theater director Peter Brook compared King Lear to a mountain whose summit has never been reached. Actor-director Kenneth Branagh seems to have taken that observation as an invitation to scale what is arguably Shakespeare's greatest achievement. But although Branagh grabs the "Colossus" by the horns, it is not the capstone to his distinguished acting career.

Part of the disharmony comes down to the pace, which is at a whirlwind speed that works against the dark, ponderous rhythms of Lear. Branagh, alongside co-directors Rob Ashford and Lucy Skilbeck, have their pedal to the metal from the get-go, racing through the work in only two hours sans intermission. Given that there is a main plot and subplot intricately interwoven into the drama, unless one is well-versed in this tragedy, it's easy to miss many of the nuances in each scene. Lear investigates the nature of power, love, ageing, survival, redemption, and more. This thematic density requires ample time for theatergoers to absorb the gravitas of each.

The story, which most theatergoers will remember from their high school English class, folds in the domestic with the political: Lear, King of Ancient Britain, divides his kingdom. Two of his daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter him and gain handsome inheritances; his youngest-and favorite--daughter Cordelia refuses to play the flattery game, and Lear disinherits her. After power has been transferred, his two eldest daughters reveal their true colors and refuse to house his 100 knights. Lear, incensed over their ingratitude, cries out that he will go mad-and does. To complicate matters, his former aides and servants are now on the run from the current powers-that-be. Cordelia, prompted by true love for her father and political justice, returns with an army to Britain from France, where she was living with her husband, the King The ensuing war against her sisters' battalions will determine the future of Britain and its people.

Saffron Coomber, Deborah Alli (Photo: Marc J. Franklin)

Branagh is well-known for the rich warmth of his speaking voice conveying a deep humanity, and diction that makes Shakespeare's iambic pentameter never sound mannered. But, as Lear, he doesn't quite get the right tone and inflection that registers with Lear's irascible personality and madness. His speeches, in fact, echo that antic disposition of Hamlet rather than resonating with the tragic depths of a protagonist who's a "foolish, fond old man."

Shakespeare purists may well find much to complain about in this production. Various scenes have been cut or trimmed; the 63 year-old Branagh seems too young to play the old king who, based on textual clues, is over 80. Indeed, Branagh's Lear seems to be in the pink of health and sharp as a tack.

Still, there are redeeming elements in this production. Firstly, the Prologue is superb. Not only is it visually arresting, but it chimes with the play's epic mood and atmosphere. Nina Dunn's projections evoke a cosmos with interlocking systems of stars that swirl with energy. When the celestial movement ceases, the audience sees Ancient Britain come into focus, replete with Stonehenge-like slabs of stone (minimalist set by Jon Bausor).

When Branagh enters as Lear, dressed in an animal hide, and his warriors gather around him in similar primitive dress, they seem like they belong to a tribe, not domestic families. In fact, the audience will see little indication of interior spaces throughout the show. This is a Lear in the rough.

Kenneth Branagh, Jessica Revell (Photo: Marc J. Franklin)

The duel scene between Edmund (Dylan Corbett-Bader) and Edgar (Doug Colling) also is terrific, full of nail-biting suspense and narrative thrill. Spectators will see bad boy Edmund first appearing to have the upper hand, only to see a turnaround at midpoint, with Edgar's coup de grace coming in the final moments.

The supporting cast, comprised of RADA graduate students, all turn in fine performances. It seems unfair to single out any individual performer for their actorly skills, although Jessica Revell, doing double-duty as Cordelia and the Fool, deserves special mention for her versatility. Deborah Alli's Goneril rightly shows that she is the "brain" in the family, continually scheming to accomplish her evil plans, including plotting to have her husband Albany (Caleb Obediah) killed so she can rule Britain with Edmund. Saffron Coomber's Regan conveys her cold-bloodedness when her husband Cornwall (Hughie O'Donnell) is vengefully murdered by his own servant after gouging out Gloucester's (Joseph Kloska) eyes-and she doesn't even pause to acknowledge her spouse's death.

In sum, this current revival of Shakespeare's tragedy might not altogether hit the mark. But it's still a rare opportunity for American Anglophiles to see one of our greatest living Shakespearean actors on a New York stage.

King Lear

At The Shed, 545 W. 30^th St.

For more information, please visit www.theshed.org

Running Time:  2 hours, no intermission

Through December 15