King Lear (Secret Theatre)

See it if You like a strong cast in a classic

Don't see it if You are a Shakespeare purist who doesn't want a modern spin on Lear

See it if you love Shakespeare, and especially adaptations staging the Bard in more modern periods.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare or can't sit through a long play.

See it if you want to take advantage of seeing the play—in fact, the complete play without cuts.

Don't see it if you’re worried that you won’t find the small theater tucked away in LI City.

Also Fine performances. The music was effectively integrated into the play. With seats on three sides of the performance area, it would have helped if the director could figure out a way—I realize this is not easy—for the actors to be heard regardless of where you’re sitting and for keeping sight lines unobstructed when one actor is talking to another. Using the framing device of a nursing home is, I suspect, mainly a function of budgeting; it was for the most part unobtrusive and didn’t detract from the performance.... Read more Read less

See it if You like anything Shakespeare. You want to see a great play with great performers. You want to see a modern take on King Lear.

Don't see it if You don't like Shakespeare (who doesn't). You don't like modern versions of Shakespeare. You don't want to see an entertaining play

See it if u want 2 c Legend, Pendelton's Lear supported by an outstanding cast/ r prepared 2 c singing,stage combat & innovative set on a tiny stage

Don't see it if u don't like non-traditional but innovative directing, lots of screaming, excellent acting.

See it if You're a fan of Shakespeare. This was a good prosuction.

Don't see it if You don't like modern interpretations or can't sit for three hours.

See it if you want to see the great Austin Pendleton in this role! It had some great moments and a fresh take that made me see Lear in a new way.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare, or can't sit through a 3+ hour play (on pretty uncomfortable seats).

Also I appreciated the direction & framing device of this production, exploring Lear's madness through the lens of dementia/Alzheimer's. The tempest scene was striking for this reason -- plus some fun character doubling. And I kind of loved that the actress playing Goneril (Elizabeth A. Davis) was very pregnant (with a cute bio in the program for her unborn son); it added some fascinating layers to her character and relationships. This is the first production I've ever seen where I've sympathized with Goneril & Regan in the first half of the play and they weren't pure evil & manipulation from the get-go, so that alone impressed me.... Read more Read less

See it if For Austin Pendleton & Elizabeth Davis. You like your Lear as a character study/psychological drama.

Don't see it if You like your Lear with a larger scope, more political than personal.

See it if Very good version of Lear; Pendleton is excellent.

Don't see it if you are not a Shakespeare fan; small theater, long play

See it if see great acting by Austin Pendleton in an up-front and close production.

Don't see it if conceptual which may not be for everyone. needed more as it didn't do much with the setting. very slow. (okay, I'm not a fan of Lear)

See it if Pendleton's aura carries an amateurish production. .Every manner of accent and acting choice is on view, milling around the stage.

Don't see it if My friend had trouble hearing Pendleton, but I did not. Elizabeth Davis, fine as Goneril, is pregnant and her fetus has a bio in the program

See it if you want to eat at the Court Sq diner and see modern costumes and great acting by Pendleton and cast up close and personal.

Don't see it if you can't sit on the most uncomfortable seats of all shows I've scored for 3 hours. It is a good production that should be seen elsewhere.

See it if You want to see Austin Pendleton in a show. You're interested in seeing a production of King Lear.

Don't see it if You want to see Shakespeare or Austin Pendleton at his best.

See it if You like intimate Shakespeare and can forgive some uneven acting.

Don't see it if You're looking for an ensemble based King Lear that explores every facet of the play. Most of the actors were in different worlds.

See it if you want to support this group. This show seems full of good intentions but still struggling for cohesiveness.

Don't see it if you want to see a perfectly produced, perfectly acted King Lear. The company is uneven in skill and understanding.

See it if You like intimate spaces and/or Shakespeare in modern dress. See it if you want to get up close and personal with Austin Pendleton.

Don't see it if You are sensitive to tight, uncomfortable seating. If you dislike poorly executed Shakespeare. You can't tolerate shows over 3 hours long.

Also This is the second Shakespeare I have seen at The Secret Theatre, both of them directed by Albert Bonilla and both of them disappointing. That is not to say that this production is all bad. In fact, some of the acting is quite good-- Elizabeth A. Davis is a phenomenal Goneril with a rich, fascinating inner life, Nick Chris as Edgar is charming and sympathetic, and Arthur Lazalde as Kent is believable in unbelievable situations. Jack Herholdt as The Fool is a treasure, spinning wisdom out of nonsense. I was so glad every time he came onstage. Sadly, these strong performances are not enough to balance out the production's many weaknesses. The rest of the cast is uneven in their understanding and delivery of the text, even Austin Pendleton. More than once he seemed to be less than solid on his lines, and he was often difficult to hear. Transitions between scenes were long, which was unfortunate for an already long show.... Read more Read less

See it if you never saw King Lear before and you think that maybe a modern approach to it will ease you into Shakespeare's theater.

Don't see it if you appreciate a good classic staging or at least all actors being on the same page. Mr. Pendleton's great work is not enough to balance all

Also I felt that some actors were doing Shakespeare in the park, like others were doing a sit-com, and others were just in a school showcase.... Read more Read less

See it if You haven't seen King Lear yet. The acting was good, especially King Lear and his three daughters.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a modern interpretation of this classic play in a cheap and small set. And it's too long.

Also Unlike other plays that you don't know what will happen next, this one is just cliched with very little surprises. I really like the actors, but their talents are underused in this show. Long commute so I left during the intermission.... Read more Read less

See it if you live King Lear and want to see another production.

Don't see it if you're looking for a groundbreaking approach to the classic.

Also Generally strong performances in an overall lackluster production. There were some interesting ideas simmering that never seemed quite to come to fruition.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in watching a delightful few actors do wonders with simplicity and language.

Don't see it if you are unwilling to sit through some less than stellar performances in exchange for a few diamonds in the rough.

See it if You are a Shakespeare fan or really want to see some very good acting. Zachary Clarke was a highlight!

Don't see it if You are not a fan of Shakespeare or don't like the classic text of the Bard's done in modern costumes or settings.

Also The concept behind King Lear's downfall (as an alzheimer's patient) was a great idea, but it never went far enough for me. I thought there was a lot more to play with that wasn't played with so to say.... Read more Read less

See it if You're a Shakespeare (or Austin Pendelton) buff who likes to see new iterations of Shakespeare--the bad and the good.

Don't see it if You do not have patience.

See it if You absolutely MUST see a production of Lear right this minute and are willing to withstand atrocious performances and an insipid concept.

Don't see it if you enjoy Shakespeare, are familiar with the text of Lear, want to watch well crafted performances

Also There is nothing more abhorrent than sitting down in a theatre to enjoy an evening of Shakespeare only to find that a majority of the cast doesn't understand the text. To make matters worse, none of the cast members who actually understand the words coming out of their mouths are capable of delivering Shakespeare's words in a convincing and compelling fashion. The Fool is one of the saddest characters in the canon. There is room for interpretation, certainly, but there was clearly no understanding of what the character's purpose in the text truly is. Regan, is downright atrocious. I've seen more convincing acting in a children's Easter pageant.

Stay away.... Read more Read less

See it if you know someone in the show and want to go support them, or to support the Secret Theatre because it is a cool space.

Don't see it if you know or like King Lear, or are interested in learning more about King Lear or Shakespeare.

Also While commendable that Bonilla wanted to make this a play about Alzheimer's and the loss of self through the loss of memory, the theme was not well executed. Lear having Alzheimer's from the beginning of the play strips him of any sort of power - the power to lead, the power to destroy, the power to garner true pity or empathy from his fellow man - and it is the loss of power that makes the play a brilliant piece of literature. I'm also not sure if it was a character choice or a lack of preparedness, but Pendleton was more often than not just saying words with no meaning or emotion behind them. The pacing was glacial. There was little to no connection between any of the characters, no urgency to anything, and no reason to invest in these character's lives. The Fool was fun (if a caricature), Kent knew what he was doing, and this was an interesting take on Regan, but the rest of the show was so slow and dull I nearly left at intermission. Give it another month of rehearsal.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy fresh interpretations on classics and their characters.

Don't see it if You want to see an uninspired albeit traditional production of Lear.

Also See this show with an open mind and without preconceived notions as to what King Lear is and you will be riveted. The ensemble is wonderful, diving into their characters with fresh eyes. The direction is intriguing and clear without hitting the audience over the head with its perspective. It truly is worth experiencing this production in an intimate space with truly visceral staging.... Read more Read less