King Lear at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Review
Ian McDiarmid (King Lear) and members of the company. Photo: Johan Persson.
King Lear is undoubtedly one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, and this new production directed by Titus Halder lives up to expectations. Ian McDiarmid returns to the Crucible stage, playing the eponymous monarch, the same role he played at the Crucible in 2006. McDiarmid is truly mesmerising and magnetic as the fiery King who casts aside his beloved daughter Cordelia (played by Bebe Sanders) without a second glance. McDiarmid is a powerhouse on the stage throughout, and his performance as the heartless and maniacial monarch will definitely remind fans of his most famous role as Emperor Palpatine, but at no point does his portrayal become a pastiche of this. McDiarmid is truly mesmerising every time he walks on stage, and we see that he can play the more comedic elements just as well as the mercurial King we meet at the beginning. His portrayal of Lear is one of the greatest I have ever seen.
Richard Kent’s set is simple yet incredibly effective, and alongside his costume design, we see this production as timeless yet modern. Ryan Day’s lighting design gives the barren wasteland of the set life without being brash, the use of lighting particularly effective in the battle scene negating the need for a huge ensemble to convey the gravity of war.
Katie Wimpenny was head-turningly brilliant as the manipulative Goneril, with Milo Twomey’s Albany one of the only characters with any sense of doing what is right. Justina Kehinde as Regan plays the other side of the calculating duo with alacrity and poise. Alongside Jay Saighal as Cornwall they are the power couple of the show and the battle for supremacy between the sisters is electrifying.
David Birrell as Gloucester was a real highlight, and the way that Yarit Dor worked to show the horror of Gloucester’s most famous scene in the play was brilliant without being gratuitous.
The entire company was phenomenal with Max Revell as the Fool, bringing beat boxing and break dancing to the piece, and providing the perfect light relief in what is one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays.
King Lear is a daunting play to produce and to watch, however this production brought the story to life perfectly whilst still keeping it accessible for people who may not think a Shakespeare History play is something for them.
★★★★
Written by Kirsty for Theatre and Tonic, September 2026.