CityLife

King Lear @ Buxton Opera House

SINCE being set up nearly ten years ago with the stated purpose of ''bringing quality theatre to as many people as possible throughout the country'', English Touring Theatre has proved markedly successful in its aim. It has, for instance, won no less than three Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards in that time, one of them for Timothy West as Best Actor In A Touring Production for The Master Builder.

The popular actor also stars as the misguided but ''more sinned against than sinning'' monarch in this outstanding production of one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. It's a splendidly clear, straightforward and immediate production, dominated by a bravura performance from West as the old king whose selfish decision to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, the malevolent Goneril (Jessica Turner) and Regan (Catherine Kanter) and the virtuous Cordelia (Rachel Pickup, recently seen in Time And The Conways at the Exchange), leads to chaos and madness throughout the land. Also outstanding is Dominic Rickhards as Edmund, the literal scheming bastard whose jealous machinations contribute to the ensuing mayhem, but no one is less than impressive in this highly-recommended production.

King Lear is at The Buxton Opera House until Saturday, October 19. It is also at The Lowry from October 29 until November 2.