King Lear

Financial Times“An absorbing and distressing production...” It is not as moving or great in scope as some productions of Lear. But it shows with rare and touching clarity that Lear's tragic journey is from demanding unconditional love to finding it, and understanding what it means.

Exeunt“A distinctly old-fashioned feel...” Pryce gives a marvelous portrait of a dotty, dirty old man, qualities perfect for Pinter’s caretaker but not quite King Lear. He lacks grandness and regality, which makes his fall from grace to destitution a small one.

The Stage“Especially moving...” Michael Attenborough’s fast-paced and lucid revival edges dangerously from pagan neutrality into medieval monotone, Jonathan Pryce’s Lear is a compelling old curmudgeon, fiery and watchful at the same time.

Time Out“Pacey, vital and beautifully spoken...” Inevitably, Pryce dominates, but it's a good cast: I particularly liked Clive Wood's level-headed loyalist, Gloucester, who remains sane and decent even after his gruelling blinding after betrayal by his scheming son, Edmund.

Daily Express“Whimsical touches while in the grip of insanity...” Is it a great Lear? It’s a fine, complex and remarkably lucid performance but for me falls short of a full emotional flooring.

Daily Mail“The lines just trip out of him...” In Mr Pryce’s treatment, Shakespeare’s alliteration acquires force, as does his repeated use of the word ‘nothing’. The temper tantrum against Cordelia struck me as the behaviour of a diabetic, or maybe a patient in the early stages of dement

The Independent“A carefully charted production...” This is an impressive, lucidly pondered portrayal – with tremors of genuinely unsettling danger and disturbance – but you feel that both stop short of the devastating abandon and emotional extremity that the tragedy requires.

The Arts Desk“A compelling production...” It’s an interpretation that tests our sympathy, and yet Pryce handles it magnificently. He is perverse, abusive, devastatingly cruel; yet he is also tender, needy, foolishly funny and fatally confused...

Guardian“Invokes a state of quiet admiration...” This, in short, is a Lear that deals with the breakdown of a family rather than a universe and one largely distinguished by a central performance in which the Pryce is absolutely right...

Evening Standard“A play of harrowing intensity...” This does not strike me as a major production of King Lear – it’s a chamber piece rather than a full-on symphony – and in the final scenes it doesn’t have quite enough weight. But it is a clear-sighted account, and Pryce’s performance is ab