James Jennings has put together a brilliant production of Lear with an amazing and talented cast supported by his excellent direction.  This is an unabridged production of this great play. At two- and three-quarter hours with one short intermission it might be considered “too long” by some, but if you love great theater and great plays you should see it.

It is much better than Glenda Jackson’s Broadway Lear where director Sam Gold lost his vision in the second act after an encouraging start and is even better than What Dreams May Co. and Queens Shakespeare’s excellent 2016 All-Female Lear.  Jennings recognizes and exploits the humor in this story of sometimes foolish and sometimes treacherous decisions made by rich and powerful people.   The audience will never lose interest or understanding with this production that recognizes the overriding comedy of Shakespearean tragedy.  Some “purist” may object to finding humor in the deaths, betrayal, and tortures that Shakespeare puts on stage, but they fail to recognize the audience that the Bard wrote for if they do.

Alex Hasnas does an admirable job playing Lear, but Sam Cruz’s Fool and Jake Minter’s overwhelmingly greedy and selfish Edmund steal many of the scenes.  Jane Culley first strikes the audience as too old to play Goneril, but as soon as she starts acting it is clear that she is a perfect choice to play Lear’s most greedy daughter.  Amber Brookes’ Regan exudes and exploits sexuality and matches the desire for power that consumes her husband, the Duke of Cornwall.

This is a show that should not be missed as ATA celebrates its 50^th Anniversary.