A skillful and unsentimental ‘King Lear’ at American Players Theatre

Stephanie Kulke, Chicago Stage and Screen

There is something healing about seeing outdoor Shakespeare. The sounds and sights of trees swaying, birds calling, and sun setting only heighten the sensory experience of the verse.

There is also the pre-show ritual of picnicking before hiking alongside fellow language lovers to the Hill Theater at American Players Theatre, which makes one feel part of the human continuum that started when Elizabethans gathered on route to The Globe to eat, drink and bear-bait.

I couldn’t wait to see APT’s “King Lear” because with lines like “Blow winds, crack your cheeks,” it is a play that begs to be staged outdoors. It’s exploration of the chaos and suffering caused by a foolish and tyrannical ruler, however, felt like a portentous topic to consider in the weeks leading up to a Presidential election.

Mercifully, American Players Theatre’s production offers both food for thought and a welcome escape from the cares of the present day. Director Tim Ocel leads his skillful actors through a judicious and cerebral approach to Lear that refrains from overtly signaling which character’s motives are right or wrong. The effortlessly performed verse and excitement of following the action-packed play held my interest completely. Brian Mani makes a virile and Kingly Lear. His resonant voice, silver mane and magnetic gaze reminded me of a younger, more athletically built Donald Sutherland. From the top of the play there is momentous action. Lear commands an impromptu court performance from his daughters to determine Who Gets What Share of the Kingdom. It’s hard to understand why Lear does this but Shakespeare is less interested in why than in what happens next.

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