BBC: King Lear (2018) part 4

Read the previous post here: http://lilliteraturereviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/bbc-king-lear-2018-part-3.html

Act II, Scenes 1-2

Plot Summary

Gloucester's servant, Curan, tells Edmund that Regan and her husband, the Duke of Cornwall, will arrive shortly, and mentions gossip that there is trouble between Cornwall and the Duke of Albany. Edmund is pleased, and plans to make use of Cornwall in his plan to get rid of Edgar, telling Edgar that Cornwall is angry towards him because he is sided with Albany. Edmund also tells Edgar that Cornwall has discovered his hiding place, so they stage a sword fight and Edgar runs away. Edmund cuts his own arm and lies to Gloucester (their father), claiming that Edgar had wanted him to join a plot against Gloucester, which Edmund says he refused to do. Edmund claims that Edgar tried to kill him, so Gloucester gives him praise for refusing.

Cornwall and Regan arrive and believe Edmund's lies, and ask if Edgar is one of Lear's disorderly knights. Edmund says that he is, and Regan speculates that the other knights put Edgar up to this in order to acquire Gloucester's fortune. Regan asks Gloucester for advice, and responds to Lear and Goneril's letters.

In scene 2, Kent, disguised as Caius, meets Oswald who does not recognise him. Kent abuses Oswald, who maintains that he does not know him, and Kent attacks Oswald with his sword. Cornwall, Regan and Gloucester hear Oswald's cries for help, and Cornwall orders "Caius" to be punished in the stocks. Gloucester feels punishment of Lear's messenger would be disrespectful toward the King, but is outvoted by Regan and Cornwall.

When alone, Kent reads a letter from Cordelia, which reveals she is looking for an opportunity to leave France and return to Britain, where she will help improve Britain's conditions. At the end of the scene, Kent falls asleep in the stocks.

BBC Production

Following a heartfelt conversation between Lear and the Fool, the music suddenly changes, giving a sense of drama and action. The viewer is presented with army trucks moving down a road, then transported to the scene of Gloucester's castle at night.

Scene 1 opens with a hushed and hurried conversation between Edmund and Edgar. Edmund sneaks Edgar out of the castle under the cover of night with sirens sounding in the background. A brief but intense embrace between the brothers suggests that this is the last they will see of each other for a while. Edmund directly addresses the camera, letting the viewer in on the secret when he cuts his own arm with a knife, ready to claim that Edgar cut him.

Gloucester and guards answer Edmund's cries and are commanded immediately to go in search of Edgar, leaving Gloucester and Edmund to share a moment for Edmund to lie to his father about Edgar plotting to kill him. For me, there should have been more emphasis on this moment - I feel it was only because I was looking out for it that I understood what was happening. Thus far, only half of the scene has been included, and it is only because of Edmund directly looking into the camera briefly that I understood that it was deceit. His scenes with Edgar and his father seem genuine (although I gather he is supposed to be a good liar).

Regan and Corwall arrive and are quickly caught up on the situation, and Regan jumps to conclusions about Edgar and of Lear's knights as per her warning from Goneril. They then move off camera as they reveal to Gloucester the real reason why they came: for his advice. Edgar is briefly shown rushing through some woods with searchlights and dogs barking in the background, to show that he is being pursued.

I was interested to see how a modern-day production would adapt scene 2 to make it relevant while maintaining the excitement. Oswald arrives in a car; Kent on a bike. Kent gets off his bike and stops Oswald, dragging him out of his car while insulting him and demanding he recognises him. Kent chases Oswald around the car, grabbing and assaulting him when he can. Oswald, with fear in his eyes, manages to manoeuvre himself within reach of the steering wheel to honk the horn and cry "Help! Murder!". A siren is sounded and guards come rushes to his aid. Kent does not back down until Cornwall orders them to cease. After being insulted himself, Cornwall orders for Kent to be restrained and left outside overnight, and guards get him to his knees with hands behind his back and a black hood over his head. Gloucester's protests are silenced by the sound of guns being held to Kent's head. The scene ends with Oswald camply throwing something at Kent before throwing Kent's motorcycle helmet off his car and driving away, leaving Kent restrained and alone.

I found this was an odd way of adapting it, but cannot think what more the director could have done. If it weren't for Oswald's whimpish behaviour and slightly camp/posh character contrasting with Kents masculinity, the humour would be almost entirely lost. Because of the hood, we cannot see Kent falling asleep at the end, and there is no mention at all of Cordelia's letter (although this may turn up later).

Read part 5 here: http://lilliteraturereviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/bbc-king-lear-2018-part-5.html