CMU School of Drama


Monday, September 24, 2007

Ian McKellen Plays Shakespeare and Chekhov, But Nobody Wins

village voice: "King Lear and The Seagull are both plays about meaninglessness, but that doesn't mean they don't mean anything."

2 comments:

jeannie_yun said...

I'm sure the show was great, in terms of McKellen's portrayal of the characters in both Shakespeare and Chekhov. And I'm sure Trevor Nunn made some great with his directorial decisions. But the article makes it sound like the two have produced another same-old version of the King Lear, which I doubt you can go wrong with it. I guess it is extra difficult when the expectation is really that high.

Anonymous said...

i think it says a lot about an actor who has hit the big screen and has starred many pieces to back it off and do some of the classics. McKellen seems to be a very humble person who will take a role not on the pay or the Fame, but rather on the message. both the Seagull and King Lear are very interesting plays to be doing in these times. the messages are powerful and speak to the audience of this 21st century. regardless of the article i feel that we should not focus on the what was expected of the "Big Names" but rather watch the play for what it is and the message it has.