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A Future Lear?
King Lear is a play I have always wanted to direct but until now have not imagined a new way to tell the story. Staging Shakespeare is not really worth it unless there is an attempt to peel back a layer of meaning which people have not experienced before.
A couple of nights ago I was watching 2 Lips and Dancers and Space by Robert Wilson and, once again I was blown away by Wilson’s scenography but could not fathom what the heck was going on. As I watched some of the images I imagined my King Lear.
At the start of the play King Lear shakes of the burden of responsibility by dividing his kingdom between his daughters. Whoever loves him the most, gets the most. The eldest daughters lie and make grand speeches of devotion. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, cannot lie but probably loves him most. She provides a more honest, rational reply and is banished for doing so. The lying, greedy daughters get the kingdom.
By the end of the play Lear holds the dead Cordelia in a moment of stark reality having by now been utterly betrayed by his family and court. The people that live in this world are fake, greedy and violent. Only the fool, Cordelia and, eventually, the mad king are real.
As I watched 2 Lips (in particular the ‘Cat in the Hat’ looking fella with high heels, skinny legs, big tummy, bow tie and top hat – Lear?) I saw the fake court and a style of acting and speaking that would present and explore this in a very interesting way. In contrast perhaps the stark reality is presented in a different mode altogether. A more simple, immediate form of acting.
The challenge will be to find two styles that do the job but do not conflict.
I am reading King Lear again to see if this idea can work…
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King Lear is a play I have always wanted to direct but until now have not imagined a new way to tell the story. Staging Shakespeare is not really worth it unless there is an attempt to peel back a layer of meaning which people have not experienced before.
A couple of nights ago I was watching 2 Lips and Dancers and Space by Robert Wilson and, once again I was blown away by Wilson’s scenography but could not fathom what the heck was going on. As I watched some of the images I imagined my King Lear.
At the start of the play King Lear shakes of the burden of responsibility by dividing his kingdom between his daughters. Whoever loves him the most, gets the most. The eldest daughters lie and make grand speeches of devotion. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, cannot lie but probably loves him most. She provides a more honest, rational reply and is banished for doing so. The lying, greedy daughters get the kingdom.
By the end of the play Lear holds the dead Cordelia in a moment of stark reality having by now been utterly betrayed by his family and court. The people that live in this world are fake, greedy and violent. Only the fool, Cordelia and, eventually, the mad king are real.
As I watched 2 Lips (in particular the ‘Cat in the Hat’ looking fella with high heels, skinny legs, big tummy, bow tie and top hat – Lear?) I saw the fake court and a style of acting and speaking that would present and explore this in a very interesting way. In contrast perhaps the stark reality is presented in a different mode altogether. A more simple, immediate form of acting.
The challenge will be to find two styles that do the job but do not conflict.
I am reading King Lear again to see if this idea can work…
Like what you're reading? Subscribe to my feed.
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Movable Type 4.0 Everything here is my personal opinion.