KING LEAR-The Sovereign Summer Experience in Central Park

The tempests forecast  defied last night by a clear summer wind allowing thespicans the opportunity to experience Shakespeare's timeless eloquence the way it was intended, outdoors, in the round & accessible to all.  (Being that it is free to the public, is also a wonderful gift - but that makes obtaining 2 tickets/person onerous.  (Long ques surrounding the Delacorte Theater are a daily scene starting whilst sleeping under the stars, perchance to dream of nabbing the coveted prize.)   King Lear is not dear to my heart.  It is the story of the King's insanity, sisterly vanity & vying for their "entitled" inheritance, ultimately leading to murder (sisters fighting; tsk tsk.)  The stellular cast brought some celebrity cache to the program:  John Lithgow, Annette Bening, & Jessica Hect.  However, the fault in the stars lay with the substellular performance of Bening whom seemed anachronistic in her role as Goneril and (Tony winning actress) Hecht (Regan,) her voice protests the beauty of Shakespeare's words.  (Not to mention the noticeable flubbed lines by both.)  As for Lithgow, he played a convincing crazy - but then that should be child's play.  I was impressed with the performances of actors, Jay O. Sauders who played Kent and by Steven Boyer who played Lear's Fool with wit & intelligence.  The scenice & lighting designs were first-class.  The choreographed fights were thrilling & convincing.  Shakespeare productions in Central Park art more lovely & more temperate than a summer's day.