SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Arts documentary. With five major productions taking place in 2016, the film looks at why King Lear resonates so deeply with contemporary audiences. Don Warrington, Antony Sher, Timothy West, Michael Pennington, and Edward Petherbridge speak about their experiences of playing Lear. Diana Rigg speaks of the fraility of Olivier while filming his performance for Granada Television.

There are extracts from the Talawa Theatre Company all-black production at Manchester Royal Exchange with Don Warrington as Lear; the 1983 Granada Television production directed by Michael Elliott with Oliviier as Lear; Peter Brook’s 1971 film with Paul Scofield as Lear; Theatre for a New Audience’s 2014 staging directed by Arin Arus with Pennington as Lear, and the RSC’s 2016 staging directed by Gregory Doran with Antony Sher in the title role. Also a trailer for the Royal & Derngate Northampton production directed by Max Webster with Michael Pennington as Lear. The 2016 Bristol Old Vic production directed by Tom Morris with Timothy West has stiils only.

Edward Petherbridge speaks of the stroke he had immediately before he was about to play Lear in New Zealand and the show ‘My Perfect Mind’ directed by Kathryn Hunter for the Young Vic in 2014 in which he writes about that experience.

Narrated by Maxine Peake,

Series

Artsnight

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Transmission details

29 Oct 2016 at 21:00 (Channel: BBC2)

Duration

30 mins

Credits

Director

Charlie Sever

Producer

Charlie Sever; Hannah Robson

Contributor

Diana Rigg; Gregory Doran; James Shapiro; Nicholas Hytner; Timothy West

Cast

Michael Pennington

Lear

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

King Lear

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General

Talawa Theatre Company’s production with Don Warrington as Lear was filmed before a live audience over two nights at Manchester Royal Exchange. The play was directed for the stage by Michael Buffong and for screen by Bridget Caldwell. The film and learning resources were made in association with Lion Eyes TV production services.

Production Company

Name

BBC Studios

Web

https://www.bbcstudios.com/ External site opens in new window

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7436 0165

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email

services@bufvc.ac.uk

Web

http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7393 1514

Fax

020 7393 1555

Address

For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ