Theatre review: King Lear at ASB Waterfront Theatre

Michael Hurst as King Lear performs in the Auckland Theatre Company's production of King Lear at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Photo / Jason Oxenham

“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!”

Parallels between Shakespeare’s King Lear and HBO’s Succession (not intended to diminish the merit of either work) has gained traction due to the similarities in character, themes and dynamics, highlighting the universality and enduring relevance of Shakespeare’s storytelling.

Michael Hurst’s King Lear presented by the Auckland Theatre Company is a majestic tale of family, power and betrayal, standing tall as one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies.

Utilising the full scale of the ASB Waterfront Theatre, intimate traverse staging sets the scene for a performance that masterfully explores King Lear’s strained relationship with his daughters, vying for control of his kingdom with lashings of alliances, rivalries and violent struggles that form the backbone of this tragedy.

From the moment of the sensational opening, Michael Hurst’s King Lear is an intoxicating portrayal of a patriarch consumed by ambition and blinded by ego.

In the titular role, Hurst runs the gamut of human complexities, struggling to transition his authority as the web of deceit reveals his increasingly tragic vulnerability and isolation.

Michael Hurst as King Lear and Jennifer Ward-Lealand as the Duchess of Kent perform in the production of King Lear at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The vicious sisters Goneril and Regan (played by Andi Crown and Jessie Lawrence) deliver the most glamorous – and some of the most violent – moments in the play.

The ruthless siblings’ cruel and brutal natures are revealed scene by scene as they sashay across the stage in style with acerbic commentary that traverses the old and new of Hurst’s King Lear.

King Lear’s Fool is reimagined in sequins and sunglasses, a floozy for the ages in a performance from Hester Ullyart that should not be missed by any fan of Shakespeare.

The Fool provides not only the wit within this play, but the truth and wisdom that predicted the sisters’ treachery, and steadfastly accompanies Lear on his descent into madness.

Hurst and co-director Benjamin Kilby-Henson have assembled a large cast including theatre royalty, Jennifer Ward-Lealand as the faithful Duchess of Kent and Cameron Rhodes as a sensational, booming Earl of Gloucester.

Michael Hurst as King Lear performs in the Auckland Theatre Company's production of King Lear at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The costuming, led by Elizabeth Whiting, is a highlight and brilliantly tactical and demonstrative as the play reaches its violent and tragic end.

King Lear is a must-see at the Waterfront Theatre, the styling and performances a rich canvas for any fan of the Bard (and perhaps, Logan Roy.)

King Lear presented by Auckland Theatre Company.

Tuesday, June 13 – Friday, July 9, ASB Waterfront Theatre, 138 Halsey St, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland.