King Lear Old Vic Glenda Jackson

Ha ha! Last week I was being told by various smug forum members that they could confidently predict sightlines through the upper gallery rail because the stage would be in its usual place, and they could remember watching a play staged in the round!

So, story time. I was having a nice chat on Skype with my parents (who still consider me the Cordelia to their Lear since I moved to London) and when it was over I checked if there were tickets left for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Then I absentmindedly checked tonight (last night??) performance of Lear and I miraculously found a ticket for 30£ in the sixth row of the stalls: it was a "return" ticket originally sold for 150£ and reduced to 30£ an hour before curtain. I bought it and then realized that it was 6:10 pm and that I lived in Tottenham. I ran for my life (I haven't had a run since 2014) and managed to be at the Old Vic at 6:40 (funnilly enough, it took me 1 hour and ten minutes to go back). I know you don't care, but I never do anything for brevity's sake.

So, the show. It's almost four hour long and it's not one of those shows where you give a look at the clock and say "ops, where did all this time go?". You feel every minute of it. Every. Single. Minute. Glenda Jackson is good, she delivers a solid performance. She's not transfixing or groundbreaking, but still solid. And there are some sparks of genius in there: her "I loved her most" broke my heart. Her Lear is childish in the first scene, but she also shows sings of dementia. She has a terrific voice, deep and powerful. And she's quite comanding. When she meets Cordelia again in act four she has a pajama, a dressing gown and she's sitting on a wheelchair: it hits very close to home, I think we have all seen a mother/grandmother in that situation and it's quite moving. She delivers a brave performance and she shows signs of vulnerability.

I LOVED Harry Melling as Edgard. Loved, loved, loved. He's fun, he's moving, he's brave, he's excellent. And, btw, it's so refreshing to see someone who doesn't look like a bloody model taking his clothes off on stage/screen sometimes. The rest of the cast is serviceable, which is the most depressing way to describe a performance: if they were terrible I'd remember them better.

About the direction. What's even the point of having an enormous stage if you always put the actors on the proscenium all the time?? What was the point of having Edmund masturbating while he was planning his brother's downfall? I mean, it sounds odd even to myself complainging about the view of a great ass, but I must confess I was perplexed.

As I said I was sitting behind Imelda and Mr. Carson (*screaming internally*) and yes, they didn't give the cast a standing ovation. It was far from being a full standing ovation, a lot of people (including myself) were sitting and cheering. It's nice that Glenda rafused to have her own solitary bow. So classy.

For those who are interested in stage door. I went there and by the time she came out (it took her 15/20 minutes, including a visit from "Dame" Staunton) there were around 20 people. She signed autographs of the Old Vic merchandise and took pictures with everybody who asked. A lovely, lovely lady I had been chatting with took a picture of me with Glenda and told her that I was writing an essay on the blinding of Gloucester. Glenda was like "at your age?" and chatted a bit with me. She was very nice. I'm glad I saw her, especially considering that she gave up acting before I was even born: it's been a nice plot twist for me.

Solid performance from the star, meh supporting, meh direction. It made me want not to see Lear again for a very, very long time but unfortunately I need to the see the Barbican production in a month. Ugh, at the moment I find the idea unbearable.

I've seen her on stage before (at the Old Vic actually) - she was good.

Ouch, this was the overall production (play/musical) that I wanted to like the most, those comments tho..., but let's hope they can fix something in the previews and that Miss Jackson is at least very good and I'm happy that she does stage door.

Are any other parts gender-swapped ? Having a Queen Lear must change the parent/daughter relationship (assuming they are still daughters). You miss out on an interesting slant which is the queasy hint of an incestuous relationship between father and daughter(s) which only Jonathan Pryce was bold enough to make explicit.

The doctor in act 4 is a woman, but that's it as far as I know.

The Harry Potter kid was alright but he gave the same performance as in Hand to God and my mate said he was the same as every time he's seen him. Impressive but samey. No doubt one day he will be giving award winning performances but not today.

5* no doubt
When The Theatreboarders cry it stinks of sh*t
The paper press will think it's a big fat hit

(Not my best work but I'm giving it a B-)

I am still looking forward to it due to this bit in bold.

Lovely that Glenda did stage door. I am exhausted just reading about a four hour production.

Due there tonight, am very glad am on end of row now as will aid escape if necessary.