Magneto and Who Lear On TeeVee
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of King Lear starring Ian McKellen (X-Men, Lord of the Rings, The Shadow) and Sylvester McCoy (the seventh Doctor) has been videotaped and will be broadcast this fall in America on PBS, according to theatermania.com.
Directed by Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables, Nicholas Nickleby, Cats), the production was taped in HD TV and will be broadcast throughout the world. It will also be available on DVD.
The production debuted last April at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and travelled throughout the world, ending its tour on London’s West End. McCoy played The Fool, McKellen the King.
This is tremendous news! Any new Shakespeare by Nunn is worth watching, and seeing McKellan take on another of the great roles (after impressive turns as Richard III and Macbeth)… well, I could ask for little more.
His Richard III was unbelievable — one of my favorite alternate reality movies. An astonishing production, with Annette Bening, Robert Downey Jr., and Maggie Smith. Even people who hate Shakespeare should check this out.