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Lear sets in motion the decision which will lead to his downfall. Pictures: Marc Brenner King Lear
Malvern Theatres
**** MICHAEL Pennington is one of those actors
on the must-see list for theatre-philes. He's one of the British stage greats, who not
only founded the English Shakespeare Company in 1986, but is a regular
on the Laurence Olivier Award nominee shortlist and described as “one of
the finest Shakespearean actors of our time”. So I had high expectations at finally getting to
see the man in action in this heavyweight Shakespearean tragedy. Pennington is au fait with the role of King Lear
especially after recently playing the misguided king in a run at the
Shakespeare Center in New York He reprises the role for this UK tour, produced
by Ambassador Theatre Group and created by the Royal and Derngate in
Northampton. The show is on the final week of
its tour and the cast has obviously had time to get used to each other's
rhythm as it's a slick, fast-paced affair. A gunshot rings out to start the proceedings, set
in a 1920s-'30s era where the king's family has gathered for a shooting
party reminiscent of those seen in Downton Abbey. Pennington, looking eerily like a Jeremy Corbyn
double, is masterful in the lead role, but it all seems so second nature
to the actor. He effortlessly moves between Lear's arrogance, anger and
later madness with a performance filled deep with emotion. Michael Pennington and Beth Cooke as Lear and Cordelia Pennington also makes Shakespeare's words easy to
understand and it's fascinating to think how the language and themes are
so relevant 400 years after Shakespeare's death. The biggest reaction of the night was bursts of
laughter coming to the line: "Get thee glass eyes, and like a scurvy
politician seem to see the things thou dost not". So apt in the current
political climate. The whole thing also works well because there's a
strong cast around Pennington, particularly the baddies - evil haughty
sisters Goneril (Catherine Bailey) and Regan (Sally Scott), along with a
mean, vicious Cornwall (Shane Attwool) and devious Edmund (Scott Karim),
who is like a Cockney geezer on the make. The only drawback is that due to a small cast,
some of them have to double up in minor roles, which can be confusing.
Beth Cooke playing Cordelia appears as a member of her sister's
household and the deceased distinctive looking Cornwall is then a
soldier for the opposing army. There have been a few King Lear's on the theatre
circuit of late but with Pennington in the title role, this has to be
one that you can't pass over. The cast will also be reading poems in the
Malvern Theatres foyer from 6pm on Thursday June 29 in aid of Syrian
refugees in Calais. Until Saturday 2.7.16 Alison Brinkworth 27-06-16
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