KING  LEAR  at the Public Theater's Delacorte Theater

(Seen August 3, 2014)

There are no gimmicks or time traveling in Daniel Sullivan's straightforward direction of Shakespeare's tragic tale,  John Lithgow, in the title role,  gives a virtuoso performance, ably surrounded by a large company of actors.

The ensemble company lets us hear the words as they capture the mood for the undoing of an old king as he deteriorates into senility and madness.  The supporting actors happily do not fall into stereotypes nor show-boarding.

  Particularly effective is Jay D, Sander's Kent, who effectively underplays what could be a showy role.  This is  also true  for Clarke Peters as Gloucester and C. Iwuji as his son Edgar, as well as Eric Sheffer Stevens as Edmund.  Steven Boyer's Foil is played as an unusually young and agile jester.

All in all, an enjoyable visit with a sad Shakespearean tale.