Having had to watch this production several times for Year 12 English (like a few others commenting here), I have been over its every detail, and can still find very little redeeming qualities. Eyre clearly delves into the ideas revolving around family and betrayal, but disregards what many would call the most important themes of the play (including the role of the divine and the monarchy). This serves to turn what should be a striking and thought-provoking play into a daytime drama.
This isn't helped by the acting. Much of the cast overacts and no one seems to understand the concept of being quietly angry - the excessive shouting will unfailingly give you a headache (which completely ruins the part in the last scene where Rhys as Edgar starts screaming in emotional agony, an otherwise moving moment). Ironically, in the storm scene (which is meant to be moving and a turning point for the characters) not one word can be understood over the weather.
The boring sets are no doubt there for some form of visual symbolism, but all they really do is detract from the film. They give the sense of watching something that is trying too hard not to be a play but at the same time trying just as hard not to be a movie, which leaves the set design looking sloppy and haphazard.
The two brothers do well enough, but the sisters are entirely mis-directed in a confusing display of violently changing emotion, so that a real sense of character can't be established. Timothy West and David Burke are excellent, Ian Holm has his moments amongst the shouting, and Michael Bryant is a good Fool if you can get over the initial shock of him being about the same age as Lear (although perhaps this is a shallow criticism). But on the whole, you would be much better seeking out a different version to watch (try the Russian one).
This isn't helped by the acting. Much of the cast overacts and no one seems to understand the concept of being quietly angry - the excessive shouting will unfailingly give you a headache (which completely ruins the part in the last scene where Rhys as Edgar starts screaming in emotional agony, an otherwise moving moment). Ironically, in the storm scene (which is meant to be moving and a turning point for the characters) not one word can be understood over the weather.
The boring sets are no doubt there for some form of visual symbolism, but all they really do is detract from the film. They give the sense of watching something that is trying too hard not to be a play but at the same time trying just as hard not to be a movie, which leaves the set design looking sloppy and haphazard.
The two brothers do well enough, but the sisters are entirely mis-directed in a confusing display of violently changing emotion, so that a real sense of character can't be established. Timothy West and David Burke are excellent, Ian Holm has his moments amongst the shouting, and Michael Bryant is a good Fool if you can get over the initial shock of him being about the same age as Lear (although perhaps this is a shallow criticism). But on the whole, you would be much better seeking out a different version to watch (try the Russian one).