Within the first ten seconds that National Theatre Live’s “King Lear” opens on the screen, minus any credit roll or “Tour London Now” commercial distraction, Simon Russell Beale storms through immense leaden upstage center doors into the austere, militaristic, shadowy set like a mad bull on a rampage and snatches the ominous, dread-filled scene by … Continue reading
Tagged with National Theatre Live …
CORIOLANUS: NT Live’s Gruesome Heart-throb
A mystery at a National Theatre Live screening? When I attend and review the NT Live performances at Dallas’ Angelika Film Center, I generally find myself one of eight silent people in the auditorium. Walking into a full house, wall to wall people, on a Saturday afternoon to see the NT Live showing of Shakespeare’s … Continue reading
NT Live’s Occupy Nation: Timon of Athens
“It’s one lo-ong howl of disgust and outrage”: Britain’s National Theatre stage director Nicholas Hytner describes his company’s modern dress production of Shakespeare’s troubling play “Timon of Athens” with pride and a hint of anticipatory warning. Indeed, it’s a perfect example of how Shakespeare’s work holds apt relevance for today’s issues. Written in collaboration with … Continue reading
A Splendid Misbehavin’: NTLive’s “She Stoops to Conquer”
What precisely does an Etiquette Consultant do? Given how splendidly every character misbehaves in the National Theatre production of Oliver Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer” and with glorious abandon, some intentionally, some by “accident of station”, I’d guess the old EC spends most of his/her time sipping tea at the craft table. Unless the delectable … Continue reading
criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield 