KING LEAR to Open at NCPA International Theatre Festival 2019

Tadashi Suzuki's King Lear will be the opening drama at the NCPA International Theatre Festival 2019 playing June 6-8.

The story is about the King of ancient Britain Lear, who is so old and muddleheaded that he wants to distribute his kingdom to his three daughters according to the degree of their love for him. His eldest daughter Goneril and second daughter Regan cheat him with sugared words, while only his youngest daughter Cordelia speaks the truth, "I love just according to my bond; no more or less." Lear banishes his youngest daughter in a huff, marrying her to the King of France, and divides his kingdom equally between his two hypocritical daughters, only to be given the cold-shoulder by these two daughters. Flying into a rage, he runs to the wilderness in the storm, joining Edgar, who disguises himself as a mad beggar. Later, his youngest daughter sends a punitive expedition against his first two daughters, and he reunites with his youngest daughter. However, the French army is defeated by the British army, and Cordelia is captured. Before long, she is put to death according to a secret order from Edmund, and Lear holds her body in his arms, sad and angered, breathing his last with madness.

There is a sub-clue that Earl of Gloucester hears and believes his second son Edmund's slander upon his first son Edgar, banishing him. Later, due to his sympathy for Lear, Earl of Gloucester has his eyes gouged out and wanders to the wilderness, running into his son Edgar the beggar, who helps him walk forward, but he doesn't know his helper is his son that has been cast out of home by him. His second son Edmund inherits the title and fornicates with Lear's eldest daughter and second daughter, who fight against each other for Edmund's favour. Finally, Lear's second daughter is killed with poison and eldest daughter kills herself after her plot to murder her husband is uncovered. Edmund accepts the challenge from Edgar and gets killed in the duel.

King Lear's cast features: Takemori Yoichi as "Lear," Nana Tatishvili as "Regan," Ellen Venable Pitz as "Goneril," Zhang Yuyu as "Cordelia," Lee Su Yeon as "Gloucester," Tian Chong as "Edgar," Hiragaki Takato as "Edmund," Kameron Holt Steele as "Albany," Ueta Daisuke as "Oswald" and Ishikawa Haruo as "Cornwall."

The creative team includes: Suzuki Tadashi (Director), Shiohara Michitomo (Stage Manager), Niwa Makoto (Lighting Designer), Kobayashi Junya (Sound Designer), Saito Maki (Director Assistant), Mitsuda Toshimi (Costume Designer) and Shigemasa Yoshie (Producer).

For more information about King Lear, tap here.