EXCEPT for the text, which is in places magnificent, it's difficult to know wherein the supposed greatness of King Lear lies. This basically excellent interpretation from director James Pacey gives us little justification for placing it amongst Shakespeare's best.

The text is in safe hands with most of the actors, most obviously Keith Flood, who gives a fine performance as Lear. He makes his man mad from the start, and takes him through different forms of dementia as things proceed.

For that very worst of reasons, accessibility, Pacey sets the action in trench coat and trilby land, 1930s gangsterdom; but it works surprisingly well. It dovetails with the power rivalry, the high body count and the gore.

The fights are brilliantly done, and the scene where Cornwall (Gary Keane) plucks out Gloucester's (David Hawley) eye and Regan (Kaitlin Howard) sticks a lighted fag in the other is a joy.

Less of a joy is Chris Iddon's Fool. Iddon flops around too much and we don't hear his lines sufficiently well to appreciate them. But Guy Evans is camply nasty as Edmund and Simon Johnson and David Hawley are strong as Kent and Gloucester respectively.

This 2B Theatre production finishes Saturday.

ALAN GEARY