Review: KING LEAR at Oakland Theater Project

Transformative, innovative, and hauntingly memorable. These words encapsulate the reaction to Oakland Theater Project’s production of KING LEAR. The story leaps to life with a flourish of energy and grace. There are so many levels to this story, to these characters and Oakland Theater Projects sucks the very marrow from Shakespeare’s bones to deliver it all to you.

King Lear is at a turning point. He is ready to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, but first he asks for proof of their devotion. The elder daughters, Goneril and Regan, compete in obsequious praise. But the youngest and most beloved daughter, Cordelia, refuses to take part in performative love. Lear is outraged and disowns her and banishes his loyal advisor Kent who attempts to defend her. Meanwhile, Lear’s dear friend, the Earl of Gloucester, is unknowingly caught in a trap set by his illegitimate son Edmund. Edmund’s scheme is to set his father against his legitimate son Edgar who is too trusting of his brother. Edmund convinces his father that Edgar wants his dead to claim his inheritance early. Edgar flees into the wilderness to escape his father’s men. Edmund not only wishes to claim Edgar’s inheritance, but also seduces both Goneril and Regan in hopes of obtaining their portions as well. Having relinquished his power to his daughters, Lear finds that he and his retinue are not welcome with either. Bereft with the loss of his kingdom and family, Lear wanders in the wilderness where a storm tips him toward madness. Slowly, Cordelia, Edgar, and Lear begin to find their way back from the brink. Redemption does not always come in the form of restoration or power, but rather in self actualization, acceptance, and peace.

KING LEAR is a powerhouse or a play and demands a powerhouse of a cast. Oakland Theater Project and Director Michael Socrates Moran have assembled a group worthy of the task. J Jha has a commanding presence as Lear, but it is in his descent into madness that we find his true mastery of the role. As much as we might rail against Lear and his decisions, J Jha refuses to let the audience abandon Lear. He draws us closer to understanding Lear, flaws and all.  Rinde Eckert’s performance of the Fool is my favorite of any production of Lear I have ever seen. The combination of his steady presence with the singing of verse and the vocalise incorporated by composer Paul Dresher make the Fool the guiding fulcrum of the play. His vocalise is like an injection of purse emotion in the form of sound that envelopes you and reverberates within you. The third part of the power trio of KING LEAR is Dean Linnard as Edmund. The genius of his performance is that Edmund is not simply the villain or the Clown. He is a charmer, a placater, a chess master, and a puppeteer. He is the conductor of machinations with great cunning, and we all buy his snake oil greedily as we bask in his smile and fake affection. 

The other great trio in the play are the three sisters. Sarah Kasuga gives us a strong Goneril who gets outplayed. Natalie Pasquinelli as Regan is a classic middle child who must act out for attention. Dina Zarif’s portrayal of Corelia features more of the beautiful vocalise. Zarif’s Cordelia is one that emphasizes her inner strength. The other great performance of the show is undoubtedly Tyler Aguallo as Edgar and Poor Tom. His preening and self-absorbed behaviors make his inability to see through Edmund more understandable. His transformation into Poor Tom is a complete and total break from everything he presented as Edgar. His evolution back from the wilderness moves with fits and starts and is marked with struggle, but finally, finally gives us someone to root for. A quick shout out to the four monks played by Joshua Bao, Angel Castro, AmberMcCann, and Annabelle Ramos. Their quiet presence could easily go static, but they continue to give energy to the show their alertness and watchfulness.

This production is the brainchild of director Michael Socrates Moran. His vision is more than a concept, it is a dissection of the play to understand how it works. It reminds me of Da Vinci and his study of corpses in order to better render depictions of the human body. His partnership with composer Paul Dresher adds a layer of expression as music can embody what words alone cannot. The set design by Sam Fehr lends a sense of play and movement in its ability to shift and interact with the actors. The simplicity keeps the focus on the story, and it’s versatility allows it to work for the whole show. Denise S. Altaffer costumes the show in such a way that every color and shift of color is laden with meaning. There are characters and costumes that convey intentionality. And others where a concept is fulfilled with a range of items that feel individual to the actors but total create a sum greater than the individual parts. The projections by Sarah Phykitt add an immersive element to the show. The eclipse is one of my favorite parts. The moving cameras that allow you to see characters from more than one perspective is a reminder that people appear different to based on your relationship to them. The entire artistic team works together like world builders creating a space and experience where the story of King Lear is free to unfold.

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