Review: "Our Present Business is General Woe": A Review of "King Lear" Presented by the American Theatre of Actors

King Lear

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by James Jennings

Presented by the American Theatre of Actors (A.T.A.)

314 W. 54th St., Manhattan, NYC

August 14-25, 2024

L to R: Jonathan Gregory Power as Albany, Amber Brookes as Regan, Jane Culley as Goneril, Alan Hasnas as King Lear. Photo by Niko Stycos
What has been heralded as William Shakespeare’s most important play enjoyed a stellar end-of-summer run at The American Theatre of Actors in Manhattan. Director and theater founder James Jennings delivered this masterful work, in its entirety, a riveting four-hour production which held a rapt audience in suspense, especially those like myself who’d not experienced the full version of King Lear.

King Lear, a tragedy in five acts, made for a spellbinding afternoon as the truly tight ensemble took on a matinee on an otherwise sunny Sunday. ATA’s Cullum Theater, one of ATA’s four stages, with its deep proscenium, multiple wings, side aisles, and catwalk provided variety as the action moved fast and furiously.

Jennings has staged close to 1,000 plays and all of Shakespeare’s works since he founded the theatre in 1976. That this massive performance of the full text was mounted before the fall presidential election was no small decision or undertaking.

And, as what seems tradition, excellent and able actors seemingly find their way to work with Jennings, this production being no exception. King Lear’s message of power, ego, trust and distrust, manipulation and betrayal speaks to our present time. It was sheer brilliance to allow the audience to ponder the many parallels that might be drawn to our own current political state of malaise.

The stage is set when King Lear’s ego becomes manipulated by two of his three daughters, setting into motion Shakespeare’s tragic tale, penned in around 1605. Writer Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland was written to share the history and stories of ‘King Leir’s’ gifting of his kingdom to his three daughters. As far back as 1574, British history, literature, and poetry support Shakespeare’s play detailing this very story, even in an anonymously authored play on which he drew.
L to R: Travis Bergmann as Kent, Alan Hasnas as King Lear, Oliver Figueroa as Lord Burgundy. Photo by Niko Stycos
Eventually, William took it to the next step, devising a King losing power, control, and eventually his mind. The madness that came upon Lear and the havoc wreaked by bad decision, ego, and fear are classic character traits we see played out throughout history and literature, drawing upon history. It's been said that the enemy thrives on one not knowing oneself, and through Jennings' thoughtful direction, we are privy to many examples of characters suffering a deficit of self-awareness.

A tangled web is woven by daughters Regan (Amber Brookes) and Goneril (Jane Culley). Their favored sister Cordelia denies her father (King Lear: Alan Hasnas) the false flattery her two sisters foist upon their father.

Culley’s Goneril is evil personified, her every utterance peppered with cynical disdain. Her haughty air entering or leaving each scene reveals Goneril is no one to mess around with. Her late-play pursuit of Edmund seals Culley's portrayal of top villainess. Goneril’s use of her steward Oswald (Sam Cruz) is coldly calculating. Cruz as Oswald credibly does everything to uphold her bad behavior, a snake slithering in tandem.

Amber Brookes, as Regan, brings a seemingly storied British iciness and brutality to her role, determined not to be outdone by sister Goneril in her dastardliness. Brookes has presence to spare as she makes known the evil depths to which Regan will descend. The two sisters layer detestable shock upon shock in a can-you-top-this parade of vile acts till each reaches her bitter deserved end.
Sam Hardy as Edgar and Jake Minter as Edmund. Photo by Niko Stycos
Daughter Cordelia (Quinn Nguyen) refuses to love “other than as a daughter loves a father,” and for her the die is therefore cast. Lear banishes her, and with dowry dismantled casts her out. Oliver Figueroa splendidly portrays four roles. As the Lord of Burgundy (Oliver Figueroa), he offers to take Cordelia’s hand in marriage, playing to Lear’s favor, despite Cordelia’s refusal. Nguyen played a staunchly strong resilient Cordelia, only allowing glimmers of vulnerability when it mattered most.

The seed of Lear’s waning self-confidence has been planted and the plot is in motion. He evolves into a madman, his damning decision fueling wars, falling of kingdom, loss of life, and utter ultimate tragedy, setting the standard for all literary tragedies thereafter.

The husbands of Regan, the Duke of Cornwall (Richard Fisher) and of Goneril, the Duke of Albany (Jonathan Gregory Power), assume their characters with passion. Fisher’s Cornwell is cold and sadistic, downright cruel. Power’s Albany plays torn between Goneril’s insistent betrayal of her father and his loyalty to Lear, and we believe his efforts towards truth. We see his honorability.

Edmund (Jake Minter) and Edgar (Sam Hardy) each boldly bolster the percolating subplot: Minter owns the stage as the utterly despicable illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester (Phil Oetiker). Minter as Edmund will, with any means possible, achieve his last word, which will bring about the culminating total end of the “old and foolish” Lear.
Quinn Nguyen as Cordelia and Travis Bergmann as Kent. Photo by Niko Stycos
Hardy plays a valorous, strong Edgar, Gloucester's legitimate son, traversing between roles within his role with aplomb. His love for his father is palpable.

Meanwhile, the parallel plot line of Gloucester and his two sons thickens, moving the tragedy forward.

Phil Oetiker magnificently lives onstage. We feel his friendship to his dear old friend, Lear. His sons Edgar and Edmund confound him, as does the “mixed treason and madness” which will cost him his vision. Oetiker is spellbinding as Gloucester, as, fearing a plot against him by Edgar, he remains unsuspecting of the true treason to be committed by Edmund. Oetiker brings home Gloucester’s tortuous suffering. The audience feels his pathetic cries to their marrow when at last he hears Lear’s voice.

The role of Kent (Travis Bergmann) does not go unnoticed as Kent aides Lear through disguise, a true nobleman in alliance with the King, through thick and thin. Bergmann gave Shakespeare’s voice of truth justice, calling out Cordelia’s banishment as cruel and unjust.

Likewise, Jonathan Beebe brings to us a sympathetic King of France, betrothing Cordelia despite her lack of position, defending her via battle to set right the injustice dealt her. As Curran, Beebe advances the plot, delivering messages to Edmund, foretelling Regan and Cornwell’s return.

Jake Smith plays The Fool broadly and limberly, physically embracing his role as Lear’s friend, advisor, and protector. He, too, is a speaker of truth, and comments on the status of the world he lives in, breaking the fourth wall, ushering in the audience to plot twists and secrets. Smith brought the character to full light.

And speaking of light - and life - Alan Hasnas bestowed a full one on his King Lear: a remarkable performance. His agility in playing Lear’s arc from ego-driven proud leader through his ultimate demise was hauntingly real. Hasnas is no stranger to Shakespeare, having acted in many other of his plays, and that was deliciously obvious in his performance at ATA.

Emily Poole served as lighting board technician, delivering purposefully murky lighting which aided the suspense of this presentation. The sound design was equally haunting.

Most notably, the cast moved the audience to ease with the meter of Shakespeare's verse, as they were so at ease with it themselves; they fully embodied it in a way that seemed quite conversational. The audience was enveloped by the action, directed and flowing from levels, ladders, catwalks that became crosswalks, entrances and exits that became paths, escapes, as well as the stage itself. We were taken through a torrential storm and many, many battles. Real, relatable, accessible storytelling.

They say history repeats itself. Let's hope it does so in the form of a repeat run of this noteworthy production. King Lear was slated to reopen in October, but Equity shelved it due to the break time between August and October.

When it's up again, be certain to secure tickets.

-Yvonne Tutelli

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