King Lear is staged as a searing epic from the Auckland Theatre Company with Michael Hurst bringing all his mastery and skill to display the dissembling and redemption of the titular Ruler.
King Lear is likely William Shakespeare’s darkest masterpiece, in that it ventures into the soul of a man and peels back the layers to finally know thyself. The most difficult journey to make and which few achieve. Because to do so invites madness, as a protection against what is revealed.
Michael Hurst is also the Director in tandem with Benjamin Kilby-Hansen.
Hurst has played several other characters in the play prior to this. A quote from the programme states that the title role comes to an actor when he is ready. Consequently, we the audience are privileged to be led through this Bardo experience by a master as the guide.
The theatre is designed as a long royal court. The majority sit in the conventional amphitheatre. A smaller number are seated behind the stage. I had the privilege to experience both. In the first half, I had the God’s perspective from the amphitheatre.
In the second half, I am almost inside the play from the stage seats and have the Groundlings perspective. As it was at the numerous Globe productions in Ellerslie. This enables an epic Homeric view of this King Lear.
The folly begins for the King when he petitions each of three daughters to profess how much they love him, for him to divide his kingdom. From there stems machinations of greed, envy, lust, torture and murder. The body count piles up. The true wielding of power when the opportunity falls into venal hands.
That’s not the truth either. There is no good nor bad/ Thinking only makes it so (Hamlet).
Lear rails when he sees betrayal and elder abuse from daughters Goneril (Andi Crown) and Regan (Jessie Lawrence).
He understands that his Fool (Hester Ullyart) is his connection to the truth. Many a true word has been spoken in jest. Ullyart has a delightful little cameo when she sings like a cabaret performer to Lear, dressed in a sexy red dress.
Later Lear wanders around in the same outfit, dishevelled with lipstick smear on his face. From being all-powerful, to dishonored, and then to be broken, Hurst conveys this with virtually every line he has in subtle and bold gestures. Costume goes from regal to rags and a body covered in dirt. Who is it who can tell me who I am?
He comes to ask for sympathy for the devil. Please allow me to introduce myself.
Matching Hurst is Cameron Rhodes playing the Duke of Gloucester. Harrowing set piece sees him attacked and eye gouged by Regan and the Duke of Cornwall (Shadon Meredith). Parallels the ignominy that befalls Lear.
Young actor Joe Dekkers-Reihana stands out playing dual roles of Edgar, the son of Gloucester, and then disguising himself as Mad Tom. Shakespeare has the ostracised characters portraying the better nature of humans.
As flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods/ They kill us for their sport.
Jennifer Ward-Lealand brings the same stature to the dual character roles of Duchess of Kent, and when she is banished and disguises herself as Caius. Originally the Duke of Kent but then Shakespeare has always been gender-fluid.
Thunder, lightning and rain are vividly created. Courtesy of composer and sound designer John Gibson. He has also used an innovative crew of avant-garde musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Jeff Henderson (Trioglodyte) to bring some eerie and unsettling soundscapes to the production.
Combat scenes have been expertly and realistically choreographed. Hurst would have used his television experience in this.
King Lear is one of the pinnacles of human artistic endeavour and in that sense is timeless. It is also difficult to confront, and there was a period when the ending of the play had been changed, so that either youngest daughter Cordelia (Hanah Tayeb) or Lear himself survived.
Restored to its original form when it was recognised as a masterpiece. Freud drew heavily from it when constructing his ground-breaking work on the Id, Ego and Superego. It also informs Jung’s Anima and Animus spirit.
Shakespeare is looking at human nature and peeling back the layers. There is a black hole that resides there. That is the nature of all galaxies too. This is done without judgement but then he had nowhere else to take it. Masterpieces can never be finished; they can only be abandoned.
This King Lear is as masterful as any Shakespeare production you care to mention. Michael Hurst is unsettling, gets under your skin, is base and tender equally but brings you through the Bardo to some redemption of the human spirit.
Rev Orange Peel
King Lear is playing at The ASB Waterfront Theatre until July 9
Tickets are available HERE.