13. King Lear - Donmar Warehouse

The great and good have been trying to get tickets to this, so I knew my only hope was to queue up ridiculously early (though not as ridiculously early as planned as I managed to oversleep). Thankfully my experience of day seating, even in the cold of January, is that it's usually mostly fun. You tend to build an odd sense of community, you're rooting for each other and helping each other out and the people you're with are interesting. It's ace, even if like us you're a bit worried that the show might be cancelled. Luckily we were the first show Jacobi did after his laryngitis and I even managed to get a seat for it.


Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as much as I might - mostly this was down to the audience. The vast majority of the theatre had been taken by a large school party and whilst I'm usually pleased to see schools at the theatre and they rarely annoy me - this had to be the exception to the rule. I think it was that they so outnumbered everyone else in the audience, that their reactions drowned out and overpowered anyone elses. Including my own. It made it very difficult for me to connect properly to the production. Especially problematic was that they seemed amused enough just to find themselves at the theatre that everything made them burst into roaring laughter - especially Lear's madness (though poor Amit Shah, playing Oswald, also struggled - as early on they decided he was hilarious and no matter what he said it was greeted with more loud laughs). I felt sorry for the cast as it felt like they were fighting a loosing battle. On top of which, there were loudly whispered conversations, noisy sweets and the constant presence of mobile phones. By the end I was about ready to tear my hair out and I wasn't sure if my pounding headache was down to them or the play.

As well as this, my seats were, unsurprisingly, not the best. I was far over to the side and though I only rarely missed any action, I did feel a little left out - the cast very rarely seemed to play anything towards my side of the theatre. I don't, in fact, remember a single occasion when I was able to get a clear view of Jacobi's expression and I suspect, based on others comments that I truly missed out there. He was also most likely not on his best form, given how recently he'd been ill. Whilst other cast members, Gina McKee especially, seemed to be coming down with the lurgy. Between the illnesses going around and the difficulties with the audience, the production seemed to lack energy. But, like with any other criticisms I'm overly aware that they might simply be down to my distorted experience of the production.

That being the case, I feel oddly unqualified to discuss Jacobi's performance as Lear. The emotions were beautifully and subtly captured, even if I wasn't often in a position to appreciate it fully. The ending particularly was stunning, the despair as he carried on Cordelia was palpable and very moving (the first thing that really shut the school up) and I found his whispered start to the storm scene was great, it really demanded that you paid attention. I found the madness less moving, or perhaps I should say less familiar though I will go into that properly below, he was clearly distracted, his thoughts flitting from one thing to another but it was a gentler sort of madness for the most part and it didn't resonate with me. Interestingly as well, given that most reviews describe this as the familial Lear against the RSC's political Lear - I came away without a strong sense of the relationships between them - though it was nice to see genuine tenderness between Lear and Cordelia. I also really loved Gina McKee as Goneril, despite the fact her voice was going. Just the right amount of denied sensuality and frustration.

I also really liked Gwilym Lee as Edgar, one of the more energetic performances and I think he walked the line between madness and playacting excellently. There was also a moment which has really stuck with me, when he was curled up on the floor, clinging to Lear and from beneath his arm we could see his eye peering up at us - dark against all the whiteness surrounding it. It was an incredibly striking image. I found, as well, Alec Newman's performance as Edmund really interesting - he interacted with the audience well, but what really caught my attention was the way it felt that events got away from him - the attention of the two queens was thrust upon him rather than desired and it got out of control and caused his downfall. I've not thought of it played that way before and I rather liked it.

As mentioned briefly above and as evident from the pictures - the set and most of the auditorium had been whitewashed muddily - it was an interesting effect and there were moments when it worked incredibly well. I really really loved how they visualised the storm - the effect of the light flashing through the gaps in the boarding was incredibly effective and slightly disorientating. There was also a moment when the light of a doorway spilled across the stage, creating a powerful inverse silhouette of Edmund. I was hopeful this was going to issue in a richer lighting palette in the second half - but it mostly seemed to return to the stark lighting from before - which again might have worked better for me if I'd been in a better position to appreciate the clarity of the emotions. I was, luckily, in a perfect position to appreciate the gorgeous sound design from start to finish - I love Adam Cork's work and this was excellently atmospheric.

Although I feel like I've been complaining a lot here, it was genuinely an excellent production - it's just a shame that external factors got in the way of appreciation of it.