Talking Lear | Simon Russell Beale on King Lear | National Theatre

[@jrpipik]

What's great is that he can play it again in 20 years!

[@patriciajanegerrie]

Superb performance by SRB, the UK’s greatest actor these days.

[@patriciajanegerrie]

Just listened to this splendid interview! Thank you! I am now sharing with lots of folks and look forward to seeing SRB as KL in Mechelen, Belgium next month.

[@19961471]

Saw this production of King Lear and it cannot be denied that he is the epitome of Shakespeare's Lear. Fantastically played.

[@SublimeStuff]

Wonderful insights.

[@patriciajanegerrie]

Coming back to Utopolis, Mechelen on Tuesday 26 April 2016. What luck for those who have not seen SRB playing King Lear magnificently!

[@vardellsfolly5200]

In Penny Dreadful he had a small role. And he was astonishing in it. Quite memorable, so i was inspired to google him. He is one of the best theater actors there is!

[@luciavitale5903]

Thank You!

[@UltraEmilyRose]

I saw Russell in The Hollow Crown - Henry IV and V. Incredible actor.

[@geoffstone6249]

He is not in Henry V

[@carlisle496]

@@geoffstone6249 He doesn't speak but does appear in a chair as Mistress Quickly talks about how Prince Hal broke his heart.

[@Trevoirio]

His performance made me worry for his back. Regan was especially good and the national theatre worked well for this version of the play. Brutal concrete.

[@Rips23]

Beale misses something about Lear's darker purposes: Lear tells us 'that future strife may be prevented now'. (and his comment about Burgundy and France not being part of historic Bretagne?!) His crawling towards death is rhetoric; his is a profound tactical plan and in his mind's eye he and his 100 knights (each with 20 or so retainers) will provide a decisive edge once those ungrateful bastards Albany and Cornwall start the inevitable bloodbath.

[@b00i00d]

Very thought provoking! An interesting subject that arose: The end of different Shakespearean characters' Soliloquising - Significance! Another point: why does most of Lear's vile come out on Goneril? Could a valid motivation be: because he sees so much of him in her that he doesn't like?

[@johnneville-andrews8566]

Sad that either Sam Mendes or Simon Russell Beale, or both, have the beginning of the play wrong. Lear divides his kingdom into THREE, says so in the script, obviously hoping to retire and spend time in all three venues having a great time rollicking with his knights. He wants power without the responsibility. He obviously misjudges Gonerill and Regan, who don't want him anywhere near their Lear-given land. Only Cordelia see through his "retirement plan." I'm surprised that two very experienced theatre artists misread Shakespeare's play, especially as it is just there in the script - "Know that we divided in three our kingdom;"

[@brcx3001]

Having Lear kill the Fool is a major mistake. It takes away the tragic grace of the King in the play. It may have more dramatic impact in the moment of the scene and plot, but destroys the central message of the play.

[@steerpike66]

I agree. It was an experiment too far, I disagree that the play has a central message though. They've been pushing the 'more sinned against than sinning' against the wall lately. The Hopkins Lear (reasonable) had clever moments of male vacuity, and even cruel sexual assaults, that I was prepared to accept but casual killing is too much.

[@brcx3001]

@@steerpike66 I agree there are multi-layered themes to the work, but a central theme is finding grace in the midst of defeat and decline. That gets thrown out with this silly kill the fool gimmick.

[@frankfeldman6657]

Listen to Gerald Cantor. Lear is not the least bit demented. He's got it all wrong.

[@JAMESKEEGANUD]

He's wrong about the "Let's away to prison" speech being "nonsense" but this is a very engaging talk with many other interesting insights.

[@stephenwalsh770]

SRB as Smiley in a Karla trilogy please.

[@steerpike66]

It's on radio already. But you now that.

[@nimium1955]

The play is difficult, but not banal.

[@mlansky7302]

the British always seem to be experts at feigning humility. Predictable.

[@dracher]

(1) There is always a great danger in allowing an actor free rein to talk bout himself or his part. (2) The notion of Lear killing the fool is at best ill conceived, at worst insane.

[@neonvalkyrie]

oooh we should just keep actors locked up like marionettes in a cabinet, their only purpose in life is to amuse us...

[@slimlinescotsman]

What on earth are you talking about??? On what basis do you make that statement?????

[@slimlinescotsman]

And i meant that for you dracher...

[@Trevoirio]

It worked pretty well when I saw it. Another death.

[@thekidschannel2784]

It is wrong to medicalize King Lear. Dementia may be an element but to focus on that as a diagnosis is a huge mistake. It detracts from the meanings, relationships and purpose of the original play . They tried to rewrite Shakespeare and what Shakespeare intended including the death of the Fool. This is just plain wrong and ruins the overall "re-interpretation".

[@thekidschannel2784]

Better to have not been born

[@Vic82toire]

It's all part of building a backstory which for actors is essential for stepping into the character. It's not an outlandish speculation that Lear has Lewy Body dementia since he exhibits the symptoms, as the play shows. I'm sure there were people in Shakespeare's time who suffered from dementia though people didn't call it that back then. It's the human condition, which Shakespeare is very fond of showcasing.

[@JohnZaabi]

oh fat man is very and truly in love with his own voice, is he?

[@minui8758]

It’s very mellifluous so I can’t blame him

[@pgtto]

Overall the actor does not look directly at the interviewer when answering his questions. The most utterly disrespectful attitude!

[@rexmundi2237]

It's an interview not a fkin wedding.