ABOUT THE PLAY

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This powerful one-man play is a thought-provoking reworking of the original text to provide a unique insight into the mind of the disturbed King Lear himself.

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Traditionally it is thought that the two roles of Cordelia and Fool could have been played by one actor, and this is the contention behind the play. However, more importantly, is the psychological connection between the characters of Lear, Cordelia and Fool – are they, within the context of Shakespeare’s voyage of discovery, all manifestations arising out of the same psychic disturbance?

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The play also explores the technique and craft of being an actor, with much of the action taking place within the Tiring House, as well as on the stage where King Lear the play is being performed.

 

It examines King Lear through the actor stepping into two of its most compelling roles, Cordelia and Fool. Are the roles of Cordelia and Fool two sides of the same kind - the presence of Cordelia never really goes away, instead does Shakespeare reinvent her as Fool, to get Lear to finally understand the folly of his ways?