King Lear

Synopsis

A storm-lashed heath in medieval Britain, where the lines between sanity and madness blur.

King Lear, once a mighty monarch, now stumbles through the tempest of his own making. In a fateful act of vanity, he divides his realm between his daughters based on their professions of love. The honeyed words of Goneril and Regan win them kingdoms, while Cordelia’s honest affection sees her cast out. As Lear’s power crumbles, so too does his grasp on reality. He rages against the elements, stripping away pretence to confront the raw truths of human nature.

Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy explores the catastrophic consequences of pride, betrayal, and misplaced trust. The parallel story of the loyal Edgar and scheming Edmund weaves seamlessly with Lear’s downfall, creating a tapestry of familial strife and political upheaval. Dark humour punctuates moments of gut-wrenching pathos, while the Fool’s biting wit serves as a Greek chorus to Lear’s unravelling. As the body count rises and a once-great kingdom lies in tatters, we’re left to ponder the fragility of power and the redemptive force of love.