Love both these pics so much! ....thanks for posting them domino!

I'm so pleased somebody took a picture of the curtain call....i really wanted to but my phone was off, in the bottom of my bag and i was too busy clapping whilst trying to stand up without dropping everything .  I wonder if they got a standing ovation every night?! I expect so!

Seeing everyone on stage together like that at the end it struck me that it was not only the first time I'd seen Damien in something which i was already familiar with, but it was by far the biggest cast I'd seen him part of.

domino wrote:

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It was the post-show talk with the King Lear cast and company last night!

Hopefully it will be available online,  the pre-show talk with director Jonathan Munby is up on the CFT youtube page.

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 Having listened to the pre-show talk with Jonathan Munby I have a greater understanding of his version of the play, his adaptation and the cuts made to the script (although I may never approve of the cutting of one of Edmund's most important soliloquies). Interesting to hear him talk about the amalgamation of the 2 versions of king Lear, Quarto and Folio, and taking the best parts of both, as well as bringing the play into our modern day, rather than Shakespeare's. 

You're welcome fifi, I found it fascinating too and it gives a greater understanding of this particular production.

Am I alone in still holding out hope that there may be a recording of King Lear available one day?!

Maghat wrote:

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It sounds like there’s going to be a London transfer!

Phil Daniels was on Saturday Live on Radio 4 this morning and mentioned the Chichester run of King Lear with Sir Ian and said, pretty much in passing, that it would be coming to London he thought June or July. I’m sure those with better sleuthing powers than me will be able to sniff out more!

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 Fingers crossed it's with the original cast. Wonderful if it also toured or was filmed (I'm nothing if not optimistic). Great sleuthing yourself, Maghat!

Here is Phil Daniels verbatim from BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live this morning, in response to a question about his musical input into the projects he is involved in:

"I just played The Fool in King Lear with McKellen in Chichester, which is coming to London, I think, in June, July.."

Listen to the interview from 10.38 mark here.

He has rather let the cat out of the bag ! Fingers crossed for more official news soon!

Oooh that is exciting news. Fingers and toes crossed! It would be wonderful if more people were able to see this production, particularly if it's filmed too.

EllieForster wrote:

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Maghat wrote:

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It sounds like there’s going to be a London transfer!

Phil Daniels was on Saturday Live on Radio 4 this morning and mentioned the Chichester run of King Lear with Sir Ian and said, pretty much in passing, that it would be coming to London he thought June or July. I’m sure those with better sleuthing powers than me will be able to sniff out more!

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 Fingers crossed it's with the original cast. Wonderful if it also toured or was filmed (I'm nothing if not optimistic). Great sleuthing yourself, Maghat!

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  indeed!!

And I'm liking your optimism Ellie....it would absolutely be wonderful!

I was always a little surprised that a recording didn't materialise, seeing as how it was mentioned by the theatre - I think?  And surely there would be a demand for it!  I'll be very interested to see where it would transfer to in London, as the Minerva Theatre in Chichester felt like a very specific space for that particular production - although, of course, pretty much anything is adaptable.

If it is going to be on in June or July I would expect to be hearing about it pretty soon.....

There is far more chance of it being an NT Live broadcast if it does transfer to London Susan. As we know from No Man's Land, it doesn't need to be an National Theatre production to have a broadcast... so I wonder where it will be? As you say Fifi, it has to be an intimate theatre space, as more of a studio size production.. but many theatres have different sized auditoriums, many of which Damien has appeared in before.

I'm preferring it to be a live stream for maximum accessibility, and which I could also participate in. But any kind of extension to the wider audience is a great thing! And yes.. please let it be with the same cast!

While still a small theatre, Duke Of York's Theatre has a far larger capacity as the Minerva (640 instead of 283). And unlike the Minerva, which has a wrap around the stage seating plan, making for an intimate production, it has 3 linear levels. I wonder if they will adapt the production or stage design?

Full article from the Daily Mail here.

Exciting to read the production will finally be filmed at the Duke of York theatre!

 

On casting:

"However, not all the Chichester company members will be available for the transfer so, clearly, those parts will be re-cast."

 

On filming:

"Munby and Daniel Evans, Chichester’s artistic chief, had wanted to capture the play on film, but the small Minerva auditorium posed too many difficulties.

The intention now is to try to film at the Duke of York’s. Negotiations are ongoing, but I understand there’s a strong desire to capture on camera what may be one of McKellen’s last stage roles."

 

On Broadway:

"The London move is being orchestrated by the Ambassador Theatre Group and Chichester and they are also looking at the possibility of it going to Broadway.

‘New York producers are biting everyone’s arms off to get at it,’ I was told."

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed!!!! Would love him to make this, especially with the proposed spin-offs. But we'll just have to wait and see . . . .

-- Edited by EllieForster on Friday 2nd of February 2018 11:19:41 PM