Giles Woodforde finds much effort undermined by so small a company

From butler to King: it’s quite a step. But that’s what has happened to actor Joseph Marcell, who has moved on from playing Geoffrey the butler in the oft-repeated American TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to the title role in Shakespeare’s King Lear. Mind you, Geoffrey spent four years at Oxford University so he is hardly ill educated.

All of which brings Marcell full circle, since he has now arrived at Geoffrey’s alma mater. For this year’s Globe Theatre on Tour production in Oxford University’s Bodleian Library Old Schools Quadrangle is King Lear, and Marcell is playing the title role.

Marcell’s Lear grins widely and chats amiably as he mingles with the audience before the show. He seems to be a people’s king. He’s still grinning widely as the performance begins, and he receives gushing compliments from his daughters Regan (Shanaya Rafaat) and Goneril (Gwendolen Chatfield). He seems too nice to notice that the compliments are delivered with blazing insincerity. But he can suddenly lose his temper most spectacularly, even resorting to physical violence. These rages occur with increasing frequency, hinting at the madness that is to come.

To begin with the story is delivered with the Globe’s trademark vivid and clear projection (director Bill Buckhurst). Shakespeare’s words are relished, even if there isn’t a great sense of verse. Every opportunity is taken to introduce touches of humour. But this is a long evening (three hours including a shortish interval), and there are only eight cast members. In the second half, voices start to go, and lines are too often gabbled. Even Lear himself, who visibly crumbles as he delivers the line “My wits begin to turn”, resorts to mumbling — natural enough, of course, given his condition, but it is important to hear what he is saying.

The small cast size also means there is a lot of doubling. This can lead to moments of unintentional hilarity — for instance, when Goneril and Regan, now acting as servants, stand guard over their own bodies, shrouded ready for burial. Among the supporting cast, Bethan Cullinane is a rather quiet Cordelia, while Daniel Pirrie and Alex Mugnaioni bring the relationship between Edmund and Edgar vividly to life.

In the end, this is a frustratingly underwhelming evening. Everyone works very hard, but a couple more cast members to help carry the load would, you feel, make all the difference.

King Lear
Bodleian Library
Until Sunday
01865 305305, oxfordplayhouse.com