Focus Birmingham

by Vidar Hjardeng

Written in the first decade of the seventeenth century, William Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear, is about the terrible consequences following the eponymous monarch’s decision to abdicate, and divide his realm between his 3 daughters, Goneril, Reagan and Cordelia.

Directed by David Farr, the play opened with the whole set shrouded in gloom, and in the ever helpful pre-show notes (available on CD a few days before the performance, or the RSC website, and reprised ‘live’ 15 minutes before curtain-up) we were told how hard it was to make out the landscape., we also learnt that as the lights slowly rose a barren wasteland would appear, evocatively described as a ‘ place out of time where elements of modern warfare mingle with items from a medieval past, part war-ravished ruin, part shabby munitions works, as well as rooms within castles or windswept heath land’.

A touch tour is always offered by the RSC as part of the overall audio-described experience, but unfortunately on this occasion I could not get to Stratford-upon-Avon in time to join this at 11 am. However, I have no doubt that describers, Julia Grundy and Ellie Packer, will have taken fellow VIPs and their companions onto the stage, the rear of which was concealed by a structure of metal scaffold poles onto which rough board panels were nailed. The pre-show notes described this make-shift wall - beyond which little was visible to the audience save for the odd crate and coil of rope, and another parallel wall with a jagged hole in the centre leading into blackness. This wall reached up to the top gallery, which was concealed by a metal-framed screen of small square opaque window-panes – some cracked and broken – suggesting, the dirty windows of a factory office looking down onto the shop floor – another very vivid image. It was also very helpful to hear about the effective use of lighting, and the floor which was composed of large tarry, black sections, the central one rising on occasions, as if a muddy piece of the land had forced its way upwards. We were also told about the trapdoor at the front of the stage, and the small number of Spartan props carried on, and off, stage by men dressed in the khaki uniforms of British ‘Tommies’ and by women, resembling girls who worked in the First World War munitions factories.

The style of the costumes is basically that of the Great War period, but with some aspects of earlier times – the formal pageantry of Lear’s court at the start of the play portrayed medieval splendour, with everybody attired in rich robes lined with wolf fur. Later most of the characters changed into either elegant evening dress for the women, or military uniforms for the men, and only Lear, superbly played by Greg Hicks, his youngest daughter Cordelia and the Duke of Kent maintained their medieval garb. King Lear’s knights wore timeless country clothing, with the men carrying weapons from across the ages. Had none of this information been compiled in advance by Julia and Ellie, I believe that any fellow visually impaired theatre goer – however well he, or she, may know the play – would have missed so much from this excellent, imaginative production.

The next audio described performance at the RSC’s Courtyard Theatre will be Morte D’Arthur on the evening of Friday 9 July and information on tickets, how to book places on the touch tour, headsets etc can be obtained on 01789 403437.