King Lear (Secret Theatre) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (38)
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 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
Critic Reviews (5)
"Starring the consistently compelling and creative Austin Pendleton as Lear...Superbly directed by Alberto Bonilla, the production has an almost bipolar slant...Any good production of 'King Lear' is completely reliant on a solid cast, especially in certain key roles. And Bonilla’s has just the team that works smoothly with Pendleton and possesses the ability to make Shakespeare sound natural in a very contemporary setting...An innovative, exciting version of one of the great plays of all time."
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"The Secret Theatre’s new production resonates deeply with a modern culture made acutely sensitive to the tragedy of dementia...They draw more prancing humor out of Lear‘s scenarios than one usually sees...None of that sacrifices the integrity of Shakespeare’s language and storytelling, the lighthearted sequences as well as the overriding tragedy...A re-conception neither radical nor half-hearted, the result is a respectful and forceful staging."
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"Director Alberto Bonilla and his ensemble focus on developing strong, complex, and believable characters...What I look for in a Shakespeare production is to be shown something new or surprising in a canon I am all too familiar with. Bonilla, Pendleton, Davis, and Macleod made me want to spend time with these characters, and they found something both unexpected and deeply satisfying in the construction."
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“‘King Lear’ has been regarded as one of Shakespeare's supreme achievements. The cast is extremely talented but Austin Pendleton in the lead role was sometimes difficult to understand. While he delivered some excellent monologues, he stumbled over more than a few lines. However, he acted the mad King at the end of the play with flair. The stage props and lighting created a cool and eerie atmosphere that made the personal descent of the King into madness more pronounced. I recommend this show.”
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"A brutal tale of betrayal, madness, passion and redemption. No wonder an outstanding cast of professionals from TV, movies and Broadway is required to meet the challenge...Strong, haunting interpretations...The creative team led by director Alberto Bonilla have delivered a crisp, modern version complete with computers and electric guitars."
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