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The reinvented Yard Theatre has had a storming comeback season since its greatly expanded new building opened this summer. But there’s no question that one show stood out more than the others. The imminent Lear will mark 87-year-old living legend Sir Ian McKellen’s first time on the stage since a tumble cut short his turn as Falstaff in Player Kings a couple of years back.
Even with its larger auditorium, the new Yard is pretty dinky, with a little over 200 seats, and it’s no surprise that Lear sold out months ago, in under 30 minutes.
Well, today there are two exciting bits of news regarding the show. The first is that Sir Ian has more or less kissed goodbye to having any time at all off over Christmas in order to add seven new dates to the run, which are December 12, 2:30pm; Christmas Eve, 12:30pm and 4:30pm; Boxing Day, 2:30pm and 7:30pm; New Year’s Eve, 7:30pm; and New Year’s Day, 7:30pm. Short of working on Christmas Day it’s basically impossible for McKellen to pile in any more performances of this thing.
But he won’t be alone on stage! Also giving up her Christmas is US screen star Taylor Russell, who starred in Jamie Lloyd’s National Theatre production of Lucy Prebble’s The Effect a few years back. While it was always apparent that Lear – by Simon Stephens and Yard Boss Jay Miller – would be based upon Shakespeare’s King Lear, it seemed to be presented as a solo performance from McKellen, presumably somewhat in the vain of Stephens’ hit Chekhov adaptation Vanya.
Now Russell has been added as Cordelia, ailing monarch Lear’s youngest and only loyal daughter. To be frank we have no idea what this really means: the original Shakespeare play has a massive cast, but it seems likely Cordelia is the only other character in this one. However, unless Russell simply wants to spend a Christmas hanging out with McKellen (fair enough) it seems likely to be a substantial role, which is all very intriguing.
The new dates will go on general sale at noon on Nov 5, though given how few there are (it’s around 1,500 tickets) then if you’re serious about getting in it might be worth investing in Yard membership – there are pre-sales for its two levels of membership on Nov 3 and Nov 4.
Lear is at the Yard Theatre, Nov 17-Jan 2 2027.
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