Photo of Playbill

Kevin Kline stars in King Lear at the Public Theater in the Village. I had heard rave reviews of his performance, so I decided to go see it. Due to its popularity, the only way to get advance tickets was to become a member. Since I’m a fan of both Shakespeare and Kevin Kline, I figured it was worth it.

I had never been to the Public Theater before. It’s conveniently located right near Astor Place, so close to several subway lines. Formerly the Astor Library, the theater itself is a beautiful old building with high ceilings and wall carvings. It opened with the world premier of Hair in 1967. Now the space holds performances of contemporary plays, classical works, and musicals.

When we arrived last night at the theater, there was a long line for rush tickets, which I was very glad not to have to wait in. After picking up our tickets, we went for a quick bite at the Dumpling Man. Tasty place, though the vegetable dumplings taste surprisingly meatlike. We got to the theater with enough time for a glass of wine at the rather overpriced theater bar before the show.

The play started out with the three sisters as children coloring a map of Great Britain in the sand. Very cool set up. These little girls appeared throughout the play as visions of the past. The set was simple with an interesting sand floor, several stairways, and a platform that combined for an almost industrial feel. But the best thing about the production may well have been the lead. Kevin Kline was brilliant to see on stage. It was well worth the three hours.

Being there reminded me that it had been far too long since I’d last seen a play. I’d love to hear what else is playing, on or off Broadway, that people recommend.

Related posts:

1. A Saturday Night’s Lost Dream
2. King of Kong
3. A Loverly Show
4. Eating up Spamalot
5. Upright Comedy