What Did Critics Think of Mark Rylance in Farinelli and the King? | Playbill

The Verdict What Did Critics Think of Mark Rylance in Farinelli and the King? Tony and Oscar winner Mark Rylance returns to Broadway as King Philippe V of Spain in Claire van Kampen’s new play.
Iestyn Davies, Mark Rylance, Huss Garbiya, and Melody Grove Joan Marcus
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Iestyn Davies and Sam Crane Joan Marcus

The Broadway premiere of Claire van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King opens at the Belasco Theatre December 17. The production marks the return of Tony and Oscar winner Mark Rylance, who stars as an 18th Century Spanish King on the brink of madness.

Lit almost solely by candlelight, Farinelli and the King is presented with traditional baroque instruments played in a gallery above the stage. The play tells the story of King Philippe V of Spain, who, suffering with insomnia, enlists the castrato Farinelli to comfort him through song. As the king grows captivated, Farinelli is forced to choose between his fame as a singer and a life of solitude with the king.

Rylance reprises his performance from the show’s West End run in 2015. The play transferred to London's Duke of York's Theatre following a sold-out engagement at Shakespeare’s Globe. John Dove directs.

Read reviews below. Check back for updates.

amNY (Matt Windman)

Broadway News (Elizabeth Bradley)

The Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones)

The Daily Beast (Tim Teeman)

DC Theatre Scene (Jonathan Mandell)

Deadline (Jeremy Gerard)

The Hollywood Reporter (David Rooney)

HuffPo (Steven Suskin)

Newsday (Barbara Schuler)

New York Daily News (Joe Dziemianowicz)

The New York Times (Ben Brantley)

Time Out New York (Adam Feldman)

Variety (Marilyn Stasio)

The Wrap (Robert Hofler)

The limited Broadway engagement of Farinelli and the King began performances December 5 and is scheduled to run through March 25, 2018.

The cast also includes Sam Crane as Farinelli, with Grammy-winning countertenor Iestyn Davies and James Hall sharing the singing voice of the title character. Rounding out the company are Huss Garbiya, Melody Grove, Lucas Hall, Colin Hurley, Edward Peel, Peter Bradbury, and Margot White.

The production features design by Jonathan Fensom and lighting by Paul Russell. U.S. casting is by Jim Carnahan, C.S.A., with U.K. casting by Matilda James. Sonia Friedman produces alongside Shakespeare's Globe and Paula Marie Black.

First Look at Mark Rylance in Farinelli and the King on Broadway

 
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