I suspect that when Relatively Speaking made its debut back in 1967 it may have raised the odd eyebrow, but half a century later it seems a rather quaint, typically English, look back at a time that was somehow more innocent.
Photo by Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC For many actors Lear is the ultimate role, hence the proliferation of productions that appear every year. In 2016 alone we’ve had Timothy West, Don Warrington and Michael Pennington all pop up in the role and Glenda Jackson is currently giving us a female perspective over at the Old Vic. RSC stalwart Antony Sher ’s take on the role has been something we’ve been waiting a few years for… so how does he do?
I’ve had a tough week, the day job has been grinding me down and I haven’t seen the sun in days. Frankly, when I left the office yesterday I was thoroughly fed up and downbeat… but a short trip to the river bank had me practically skipping out of the Mayflower with a grin so wide I could feel it in my ears!
Bethan Cullinane as Innogen photo by Ellie Kurttz For reasons I don’t pretend to understand 2016 has been the year of Cymbeline , a production of the play formed part of the winter season at the Globe’s Sam Wanamaker playhouse at the start of the year, Matthew Dunster’s “renamed and reclaimed” Imogen ended Emma Rice’s debut season in the Globe’s main space and Melly Still’s post-apocalyptic take on the play was the central thread for the summer season at the Royal Shakespeare Company too.
