King Lear
Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s moving contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy – King Lear is a tender, violent, and intimate exploration of old age portrayed in all its vulnerability, pride, folly and wisdom. Unlike Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s regular outdoor productions, our King Lear production is the first for Melbourne Shakespeare Studio, which will showcase some of Shakespeare's darker repertoire plays not be suitable for children under 12.
Reviews
" Evelyn Krape is majestic as Lear. 5 stars" - Arts Hub
"Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s production of King Lear is an intelligent and enjoyable interpretation of this classic." - theatrepeople
"Casting legendary Melbourne veteran Evelyn Krape in the title role is an inspired choice, both for the impact of seeing a female play the type of role that would once have only been written for a man but also for the sheer depth of her acting skills." - simonparrismaninchair
"I found Krape's strong performance as a person of power was not bound to gender, but to her skill and experience as an actor." - weekendnotes
Cast
Evelyn Krape
Isabella Ferrer
Claire Nicholls
Annabelle Tudor
John Reed
Matthew Connell
Don Bridges
Johnathan Peck
Kayla Hamill
Augustin Tchantcho
Kevin Hopkins
Anthea Davis
Andrew Dang
Message from Director
Ayesha Gibson
Studying and editing King Lear in the midst of 2020 lockdowns and worldwide chaos was an interesting experience to say the least. I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the instability of a man determined to shun responsibilty but maintain his title and many of the most powerful people in the world. While they may not wear crowns and wield scepters there is a specific hierarchy and regality for our leaders today, hence Lear’s corporate motif - our new world order taken to its monarchal extreme. It has been a privilege to bring this world to life with an exceptional cast of actors, they have enriched this edit with their passion for the original text. I hope that their performances will show you that there is strength and softness in some of the most unexpected places, and that we must seek these out to survive the madness.