King Lear, like Hamlet for younger male actors, is a hurdle that challenges and daunts actors aspiring to tackle all the major Shakespeare leads. Sir Derek Jacobi, in his long-awaited accession to the role in Michael Grandage’s intense, intimate production, captured the universality of the play by portraying one man’s personal tragedy. His Lear was by turns “every inch a king” and “second childishness and mere oblivion” in a masterly performance, supported by an excellent cast and a stark scenic and sound design that allowed for no distractions from the cataclysmic breakdown of family and order. [Read more...]