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February 15, 2002
Lear a truly regal performance
BAILA LAZARUS EDITOR
If you're a Shakespeare fan, but you've been hesitating to see
the Studio 58 production of King Lear because you fear a
non-professional performance, you can drop the hesitation.
King Lear is superb, beginning to end. Although fairly long
at almost three hours, the calibre matches anything staged by Bard
on the Beach. And the small size of the venue gives the audience
an intimacy with the action that is rarely achieved in larger theatres.
OK, so the set design is fairly incomprehensible, consisting of
several metal poles stuck vertically in the revolving stage and
hanging at odd angles in the background; and there are a few odd
bits of costume, such as the use of a beige trenchcoat instead of
a lab coat for the doctor; but these shortcomings can be forgiven.
Jane Heyman's direction and use of the revolving stage keeps the
scenes flowing smoothly from one to another and the sound effects
are so life-like, they catch just about everyone in the theatre
by surprise.
Much has been discussed recently about the return of Antony Holland
to Studio 58. (In 1965, Holland was appointed head of the Theatre
Arts Program at the newly created Vancouver City College and that
program became Studio 58.) And Holland certainly deserves kudos
for his portrayal of the tortured king who is betrayed by two of
his daughters. But special note should also be given to Allan Morgan
as Gloucester (Morgan is a 1984 Studio 58 graduate and a student
of Holland's) and to the rest of the cast for mounting what is considered
to be one of Shakespeare's more demanding plays.
King Lear runs until Feb. 24 at Langara College, 100 West
49th Ave. Call the Studio 58 box office at 604-323-5227 for ticket
prices and show times.
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