Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Literature, Music, Art & Entertainment => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on May 22, 2018, 09:45:38 PM

Title: King Lear
Post by: Nearly Sane on May 22, 2018, 09:45:38 PM
Rather good cast



https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b57d0w
Title: Re: King Lear
Post by: Robbie on May 22, 2018, 09:48:18 PM
Yes, looking forward.
Title: Re: King Lear
Post by: Enki on May 29, 2018, 02:29:41 PM
Watched King Lear last night.  Sadly I found it disappointing.
Title: Re: King Lear
Post by: Dicky Underpants on May 29, 2018, 05:01:47 PM
Watched King Lear last night.  Sadly I found it disappointing.

I think anybody coming to the play for the first time would have been extremely confused, since it was drastically cut, and many links which would have made sense of the (pretty bizarre) plot were left out. I hadn't watched the play before or read it, so this applied to me.
What did come through with the very fine cast was the magnificence of Shakespeare's language, and here I was pleased to note how many phrases from the play were already familiar to me.
I don't think the updated setting added too much, since the inevitable anachronisms were very glaring, and attempts to find modern equivalents unconvincing.
Title: Re: King Lear
Post by: Steve H on May 29, 2018, 10:41:16 PM
Watched King Lear last night.  Sadly I found it disappointing.
Me too, in at least one respect. I have seen King Lear at the Globe a few years ago, and was moved almost to tears by the scene in which Lear tries to convince himself that Cordelia's body shows signs of life. In this, I felt nothing, because Hopkins's Lear didn't seem to either: he seemed completely unconcerned.
Title: Re: King Lear
Post by: Enki on May 29, 2018, 11:12:42 PM
I agree with the points made by Dicky and Steve H wholeheartedly. Having seen a very moving version of Lear at Stratford some time ago, I genuinely didn't think this version came anywhere near. I do agree about the language which I always find tremendously uplifting. Perhaps my greatest criticism would be the attempt to marry a stage play with film like settings. In this case I didn't really think it worked. It wasn't immersing enough for me.