| King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | drummergirl 11:55 pm EST 01/16/14 |
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| Still fresh off this quite fine production...I'm a little too close to it to be able to compare to others I've seen, but right now, I'd say that the Jacobi (also at BAM) still tops my list. But I definitely need to get some distance from it. But a question about Cordelia. I have often felt that this role should be one of the most passionate of the production. She's only on stage in the beginning and the end, but Lear's relationship with Cordelia is both his downfall and his redemption, yes? I still don't think I've seen a particularly memorable Cordelia, however. I'd love to hear from Chatters, who are likely more learned on this issue. The parallel relationship is Gloucester and Edgar/Old Tom, and it's always much stronger (though of course, there's a lot more stage time). But I'm talking about the caliber of Cordelias, really. Have you seen any that have really resonated with you? | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | BruceinIthaca 12:40 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - drummergirl 11:55 pm EST 01/16/14 |
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| A Shakespearean scholar with whom I taught for a few years told me that current scholarly thinking interprets the line "And my poor fool is hanged" to refer to Cordelia, not the Fool, as one of the meanings for "fool" at the time was something like darling or dear one. She added that there was speculation that the same actor (a boy, of course) played both Cordelia and the Fool--and that the characters never appear onstage at the same time (obviously, if you divide the parts, you can have the Fool lurking around when Cordelia is there in the opening, but it is not a requirement). Putting aside any literary hay one could make of "doubling" those two characters, Lear's best beloveds, it also gives the actor much more to do if playing both roles. | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | perfectlyfrank 01:21 pm EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - BruceinIthaca 12:40 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| I rather like the concept of the Fool and Cordelia being played by the same actor. It adds so much to the emotional weight of both roles within the play, especially the tragic climax. Even if not played by the same actor, I think there are obvious parallels that Shakespeare makes between the two roles and Lear's treatment of the characters. I'd love to see the show with the roles played by one actor to see if, indeed, it will play as well as it does in my head. | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | drummergirl 12:46 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - BruceinIthaca 12:40 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| Bruce - this is eye-opening (to me). Thank you ever so. Thus, the two truest people in Lear's life - Kent and Cordelia - are with him throughout the play. Lots of food for thought. A quick internet search yielded a number of hits, including the following: | |
| Link | Cordelia/The Fool |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 12:15 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - drummergirl 11:55 pm EST 01/16/14 |
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| i think it is in THE DRESSER that the point is made that the greatest quality the actress portraying cordelia should possess is that she be light and easy to carry. she is a crucial character and a pretty lousy part. there may have been a great cordelia (rather than just a great actress who happened to be playing her) but none springs immediately to mind. of the three sisters she is the most honest (the only one honest, really) and virtuous but honesty and virtue can often lack the dramatic impact of, say, blinding a man with the heel of your footwear. i almost always find a good iago more interesting than an equally matched good othello. john douglas thompson being the obvious exception. | |
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| Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... | |
| Posted by: | MockingbirdGirl 07:37 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - enoch10 12:15 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| ... is famously attributed to John Gielgud. | |
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| re: Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 01:42 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... - MockingbirdGirl 07:37 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| maybe but that doesn't alter the fact that it is a plot point of THE DRESSER. | |
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| re: Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... | |
| Posted by: | MockingbirdGirl 05:28 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... - enoch10 01:42 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| And star-crossed lovers is a plot-point in West Side Story, but that shouldn't prevent us from acknowledging the story's inspiration (unless, of course, one is ignorant of it to begin with). | |
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| re: Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 12:49 am EST 01/21/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Actually, the line about a "light Cordelia"... - MockingbirdGirl 05:28 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| >> And star-crossed lovers is a plot-point in West Side Story, but that shouldn't prevent us from acknowledging the story's inspiration (unless, of course, one is ignorant of it to begin with). what you acknowledge depends on what you are speaking of and to whom you are speaking. i find myself in conversations with people who don't really need to be informed of the connection of WSS to R&J. i guess this would be the case with most people. unless, of course, they're just desperate to overcompensate - for whatever reason - to begin with. | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | drummergirl 12:33 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - enoch10 12:15 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| Thanks, enoch, I hadn't seen The Dresser, so I got a very good chuckle out of that line. I won't spoil it, but it's especially ironic given how Lear brings her onstage in this version. Did you see the Adrian Lester Othello? I thought he was rather wonderful. I'm curious that the Times posted a review; BAM notes that the opening night is next Tuesday; why would the NYT jump that? | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | NYCscribe 11:30 am EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - drummergirl 12:33 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| Their opening was last night and all the critics came this week but supposedly, the press opening is next week. I guess the Times decided to break the embargo. A lot theaters have been doing that - having a party on more convenient day but then scheduling a "press" opening for when they want reviews to run. I think it's silly but if the press allows themselves to be manipulated like that, more power to them. | |
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| re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia | |
| Posted by: | drummergirl 12:49 pm EST 01/17/14 |
| In reply to: | re: King Lear, BAM - question about Cordelia - NYCscribe 11:30 am EST 01/17/14 |
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| Gee! I was at my first opening night! | |
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