by William Shakespeare
Directed by Andrea Kennedy '03
| Friday, November 1st - 9pm Saturday, November 2nd - 8pm Sunday, November 3rd - 7pm |
Friday, November 8th - 8pm Saturday, November 9th - 2pm, 8pm Sunday, November 10th - 7pm |
King Lear is a tragedy of an old and proud King. As he ages, the king begins to make arrangements for his land and crown after he passes away. Having three daughter, he decides to divide the land evenly amongst them. Much like throwing the "For the Fairest" apple before the vain goddesses, he proposes his best and most fertile lands upon the daughter who loves him best. Goneril and Regan use the opportunity to see just how much they can get out of their father, while the best loved and youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to be anything but honest. Rather then exaggerating her love for her father, she replies only that she loves him as well as a daughter should love her father. The king rashly disinherits his youngest and the following acts tell the story of deceit, pride, and regret of a tragic king's tale.
| The Daughters: Farida as Goneril Jenn as Regan Cara as Cordelia |
RAndrea as Gloucester Hannah as Kent Emily H as Edmund HAndrea as Edgar Cara as The Fool |
| "Come not between the dragon and his wrath." -
Lear 2.4 King Lear was one of Shakespeare's later plays. It was first performed around 1605-6 and first published in 1608. The first recorded performance was before James I of England (James VI of Scotland) at Whitehall. Shakespeare's friend and noted fellow actor, Richard Burbage, was the original Lear. Since Shakespeare often wrote his stories and created his characters to suit his acting company and particular actors, it is more likely that the role of Lear was made for Richard Burbage then it was that Burbage was made for the role. |
| "He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath." - Fool 3.6 |
 Although King Lear is listed as a tragedy rather then a history amongst Shakespeare's works, there was actually a King Lear. He was a Scottish King who ruled Britain and appears in various histories and other forms of literature. It is almost sure that the bard pulled from these sources in writing this play. King Lear would have reigned before the Roman invasion of the island and consequently, very little is known about him. For more about the real Lear from the sources Shakespeare himself would have used, check out the following links: |
| "The weight of this sad time we must obey, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say." - Edgar 5.3 |
- Provider name - rkayes@wellesley.edu
- Created: October 1, 2004
- Last Modified: April 10, 2005
- Expires: July 5, 2005
