Overview
Synopsis
King Lear, believing that he is surrounded by his enemies at every turn, is building a great defensive wall to protect his kingdom. However, his greatest enemies are not outside the wall, but within it: his two ambitious daughters, Bodice and Fontanelle. Betrayed by the traitorous sisters, Lear escapes to the countryside, where a kindly boy and his wife provide him with a glimpse of a more simple life. But when the boy is murdered by Bodice’s marauding soldiers, his wife - Cordelia - rises to become the new dictator, and enacts her own revenge on Lear’s daughters and Lear himself.
Edward Bond’s 20th century re-imagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear is deeply politicized and designed to invite social critique. A fairly loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic, Lear is both shocking and highly symbolic, using images of brutal violence to illustrate the intense power dynamic between the working class and their rulers.
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Context
Lear premiered in 1971 at the Royal Court Theatre in London, and featured 26 actors across the approximately 50 speaking parts. Critical reception of the production was mixed, largely due to what was considered by many to be excessive realistic violence. Lear was described by one critic as not only the most violent of any of Bond’s plays, but perhaps the most violent play ever written since. The use of violence to enforce power is an essential theme in this work. In his introduction, Bond
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ACT ONE
SCENE ONE
Lear, along with his advisor Warrington and his two daughters, visit a construction site. Lear has ordered the construction of a defensive wall that will surround his lands, and protect it from invasion by his enemies. There is an accident at the site, resulting in the death of one of the workers. Lear is dissatisfied with the delay in the work that the accident has caused, and orders the responsible parties to be executed by firing squad. His daughters, Bodice and
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Lear.
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