Glenda Jackson to Return to Broadway in KING LEAR, Spring 2019

[BroadwayConcierge]

Oh man!!! Looks like the 2019 Tony for Best Actress in a Play already has a frontrunner...!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-Glenda-Jackson-Will-Play-Title-Role-in-KING-LEAR-on-Broadway-20180628

[WldKingdomHM]

just take my $ now

[VotePeron]

What theater? If they already have dates but won't announce, I'm assuming that means something is closing. 

[#1Elphie]

This makes me so excited.

[ACL2006]

WOW! Maybe the Longacre?

[CT2NYC]

The Lyceum will be available, as well.

[carnzee]

Who would be a good director for this? Does Mantello do Shakespeare?

Can Laurie please do Goneril or something?

I think it's kinda cool that in the same season we will have a play about a great actress tackling a great Shakespearean male role (Bernhardt/Hamlet) and this Lear with a great actress doing the same.

[dramamama611]

Woah.....very cool.

[JBroadway]

I saw her do it in London. I actually enjoyed Deborah Warner's staging, but it was very bizarre and many people hated it. I'm not surprised that her return to the play will be without Warner. 

But seriously, you all are in for a treat. She's an excellent Lear. I do wonder how her performance will differ with a different director though. 

 

[bfreak]

Truly amazing that she is returning to Broadway next year! A brilliant actress in an amazing play--yes, take my money now!!!

[TheSassySam]

I'm digging the Shakespeare for next season! 

"Kiss Me, Kate" and "King Lear." Might as well add "The Lion King" to that list too.

[Kad]

Looks like Best Actress in a Play is settled for next year, huh?

[SomethingPeculiar]

By all accounts, Glenda and Joe Mantello did NOT get along (she even referenced it in her Tony speech), so I have a feeling she and Rudin will be “interviewing” director candidates to make a careful decision.

I’d love to see her and Rebecca Taichman work together on this.

[Prisoner of 7th Ave]

Kad said: "Looks like Best Actress in a Play is settled for next year, huh?"

Well, with Elaine May in the mix, it may be a duel of octogenarians.  Plus, Laura Linney, who is overdue for a Tony,  might come in with Lucy Barton.  In any case, the race has brighter prospects than last season's race.  

 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Incredible news!!

[Stephen75]

Prisoner of 7th Ave said: "Kad said: "Looks like Best Actress in a Play is settled for next year, huh?"

Well, with Elaine May in the mix, it may be a duel of octogenarians. Plus, Laura Linney, who is overdue for a Tony,might come in with Lucy Barton. In any case, the race has brighterprospects than last season's race.

"

Is there rumors of Linney transferring? 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Who else would be a good choice to direct?

Sam Gold?
Michael Grandage?
Jonathan Kent?
David Leveaux?
Bartlett Sher?

Just as long as Jack O'Brien stays away from this.

[rjm516]

Linney really was lovely and moving in Lucy Barton, but I can't see that role being the kind that can shine more than King Lear. Not that we need to talk Tonys already, lol.

 

What did Glenda say in her Tony speech about Joe? I do not recall anything about them not getting along. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

In her Tony speech, Jackson said she think Joe Mantello found her a worthy opponent.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

How cool that Jackson will likely win the same award two years in a row. I can't wait for this.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "In her Tony speech, Jackson said she think Joe Mantello found her a worthy opponent."

Also, from the Joe Mantello NYT article:

“I went into some long rambling dissertation, describing how she could perhaps play a moment, and she sort of fixed me with her eyes and went ‘Nice try,’” he says. “She likes to spar. She finds great energy in being adversarial. And my feeling about it at the end of the day was: ‘Fair enough, let’s go.’ Was it always a pleasant experience? No. But it was thrilling. She raised my game.”

 

So, maybe I'm reading into it too much, but these 2 things give the impression that she and Mantello didn't love working together. (In her Tony speech, it also sounds like she said "John Mantello," but maybe that was just her accent.)

[poisonivy2]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "In herTony speech, Jackson said she thinkJoe Mantello found her a worthy opponent."

I don't think that means they didn't get along. Glenda Jackson obviously has a very strong personality and you need a director with an equally strong vision to handle Jackson. 

[JBroadway]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Who else would be a good choice to direct?

Sam Gold?
Michael Grandage?
Jonathan Kent?
David Leveaux?
Bartlett Sher?
 

I'm a bit biased because I think Lear is an incredibly overdone, bloated, dull, mess of a play. So the last thing I want is a by-the-numbers production. I'd much rather see a really bold take on it. So for me, I say keep Grandage, Kent, Levaux, and even Sher (despite his brilliance) AWAY from this production. 

Gold could be an interesting choice. He's pretty hit-or-miss, but it has the potential to be interesting. I'd love to see Marianne Elliott tackle this beast of a play. If not her, then maybe Sam Mendes? Rupert Goold? Phyllida Lloyd? Ruben Santiago-Hudson? I also like the idea of Rebecca Taichmann. John Tiffany would be a weird choice for this material, but I love everything he does, and I bet he could work wonders with the play. 

[carnzee]

I think Mantello and Jackson have a lot of respect for each other and found their collaboration to be fruitful. I wouldn't be surprised if they worked together again.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

JBroadway said: "Gold could be an interesting choice. He's pretty hit-or-miss, but it has the potential to be interesting. I'd love to see Marianne Elliott tackle this beast of a play. If not her, then maybe Sam Mendes?Rupert Goold? Phyllida Lloyd? Ruben Santiago-Hudson? I also like the idea of Rebecca Taichmann. John Tiffany would be a weird choice for this material, but I love everything he does, and I bet he could work wonders with the play."

Sam Mendes is already set to direct a World War I film next year, so he'll likely be unavailable.