Review: Lear at the Union Theatre

Lear

Union Theatre

Reviewed on Friday 6th June 2014

Just as I was beginning to wonder how many more ways directors and creative teams would find to reinterpret Shakespeare's work, Phil Willmott has come along and thrown the biggest spanner imaginable into the works. What if King Lear was a woman?

Seeing Lear wandering in her nightdress, whining and screaming, completely changes the entire dynamic of the play. Even those who know King Lear inside out will have their eyes opened and might find themselves reconsidering the character entirely. The change promoted me to adjust my levels of sympathy and concern for Lear.

Ursula Mohan gives a tremendous performance as the title character. The challenge must have been daunting, but Mohan certainly does not hold back. It's almost a shame she doesn't have longer to discover the part and develop her performance further over the course of a longer run.

The supporting cast are mostly strong, but several performances appear a little stale. Willmott's vision and intention is always clear; however, some moments don't flow and feel almost forced. Perhaps this will improve with time.

Performed in three acts, the audience are instructed to stand for the first two and encouraged to move freely around the (once again) transformed Union Theatre throughout the performance. In theory this is an exciting idea but when watching Shakespeare sometimes one needs to think - it can be hard work - and during the first interval I heard many saying they found it hard to concentrate whilst standing.

I ended up perching on a wooden platform and, despite not standing up for the entirety, still had a completely different theatrical experience as I leaned forward into the world of the play. I've often said I would love to see a piece of theatre where the audience are sat on tree stumps, bean bags or odd pieces of abandoned furniture. It’s fascinating how something so simple can completely change the entire experience.

I think Lear is going to divide opinions and spark debate, which is exactly what theatre is all about. From the harmless and fluffy Finian's Rainbow to the bold and striking Lear, Willmott is certainly proving himself as one of London's most diverse and adventurous theatre directors.

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)

Lear runs at the Union Theatre until Saturday 28th June 2014.

Photo Credit: Scott Rylander

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