King Lear

It's a great pleasure to hear Paul Scofield as King Lear in a recording published to coincide with the actor's 80th birthday. The famous tenderness of his voice is well suited for the intimate medium of recorded drama; Lear's Act Three prayer ("Poor naked wretches") and his later scenes of reunion and reconciliation with Cordelia, for example, are among the most memorable moments of this recording. Kenneth Branagh, who played Edmond in a 1994 BBC recording of the play, here delivers a compassionate performance as the Fool. Alec McCowen also stands out as Gloucester and conveys the range of the old man's credulity, bitterness, and humanity. John Tydeman's direction oversees a moving production. G.H. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine


Hearing Lear, rather than seeing it, emphasizes the power of Shakespearean language. As the aging king who gives up his throne, Trevor Peacock deteriorates from petulance to madness. Gerard Murphy delivers Edmund's monologue on his bastard condition with masterful control, humanizing evil with an anger born of oversensitivity to injustice. Julia Ford brings a gentle strength to Cordelia; her voice alone is enough to convince that she is virtuous but not weaker for it. However, Lear is so complicated that even with striking sound effects this production is confusing at times. Some elements, such as Kent's disguise or Gloucester's blinding, must be seen for full effect. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

June 1, 2003
Gr 12 Up-This famous family tragedy is dramatized expressively by an outstanding cast of experienced actors led by Paul Scofield. They are very knowledgeable about the play and give each speech with changes of tone and intonation expressing the exact shades necessary for proper understanding. Hearing the voices personalizes the story, making it seem as if this tragedy is real. Voices vary from raging shouts to gentle whispers. The British accents add realism and are not distracting. Appropriate sound effects, whether an animal baying, rain pelting, or horns blaring, assist in setting the mood. However, it is necessary to identify each character by his speech alone as there is no narrator announcing a scene, an entrance, or a setting. Because this can be confusing, high school students should either use the prepared guide which summarizes this information, or have the entire text in front of them. King Lear is not often taught in regular high school English classes, and even 12th grade AP classes have trouble understanding the play. So, although this is an excellent production, unless the play is taught in your school, consider it a supplementary purchase at best.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.