04 Mar Re Lear (1910)

Colour Only

If you have not seen this, it is a pantomime of a play with all the characters and plot of “Lear,” but wonderfully coloured. Just looking at the colouring is an adventure because they are so abstract, so unnaturally pure. But the sad thing is that many people, including actors I suppose, think these plays have much to do with their plot.

The concern in Lear is what is seen and what unseen, so would be an obvious choice for an experiment like this, if only they weren’t so concerned with parading the story in front of us. The colour, the hand thrusting acting style, even the silence would have worked on the “crazy trial” scene if it were taken alone (and knowing what happened before).

As it is, it is a colourful curiosity from a community who never lucidly read the play.

Posted in 2005

Ted’s Evaluation — 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

IMDB