King Lear UK Tour 2016

King Lear Uk Tour

THIS TOUR OF KING LEAR HAS NOW CONCLUDED   The Ambassador Theatre Group have announced that a new Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton production of Shakepeare’s greatest tragedy King Lear will tour the UK from April to July 2016. Renowned Shakespearean actor and two time Olivier Award nominee Michael Pennington will reprise the role of King Lear after his highly acclaimed performance at the Shakespeare Center New York in 2014. Michael will be joined by a distinguished cast of thirteen actors. In Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, an ageing tyrant’s decision to divide his kingdom tears his family apart, sparks catastrophic civil war and destroys all that he has. Driven from his home, King Lear endures madness, blindness and great suffering as he battles a great storm. Yet with madness he finds reason, from blindness he gains new sight, after betrayal he discovers loyalty and through his suffering a better world emerges. … Read more

Review: The Invisible, Bush Theatre ✭✭✭

The Invisible at the Bush Theatre

The Invisible is a soap opera featuring some beautifully written female characters. It might skirt around the issue of legal aid cuts and the invisibility of some members of modern society, but it does not really have much to say about those matters and certainly does not present any kind of case, urgent or otherwise, for change. Rather, in a grab bag kind of way, it shines a light on issues (the horror of the bedroom tax for some people, self-representation in litigation and judicial responses thereto, domestic violence, grasping landlords, not getting what you bargain for on the Internet, the fading concept of job security), marks them as something which should be of universal concern, and limps on.

REVIEW: The Merchant Of Venice, Shakespeare’s Globe ✭✭✭✭

Jonathan Pryce Merchant Of Venice

Set firmly in its time, circa 1597, with costumes and accoutrements which establish an exotic, far away and, most importantly, bygone era, Munby avoids the great questions of the play and steers a course through the waters of sympathy, self-interest and capitalism. The result is a richly amusing take on the play, which is involving and clear, but which never achieves great heights of lyricism or drama, happily accepting “everyday” as its overall pulse. The high point of poetry for the evening comes with Jonathan Pryce’s heartfelt “Hath not a Jew eyes?” speech, the words wrenched from his very soul.

REVIEW: Dara, Lyttleton Theatre ✭✭✭

Dara review National Theatre

The vision that Fall and Ronder and their team have for Dara is as grand and awesome as the Taj Mahal itself. Lindsay’s wonderful set uses the full length, breadth and height of the Lytleton’s vast space. A series of beautifully patterned screens is employed, moving in constantly changing configurations across and above the stage, giving a truly exotic sense to proceedings. The kaleidoscope of activity, images and designs is visually intoxicating.