King Lear

PLOT SUMMARY

Written by William Shakespeare

Dated around 1606-1607

Tragedy

Key characters include King Lear, Cordelia, Goneril, Regan, Gloucester, Edgar and Edmund.

Blow winds and crack your cheeks! (Lear, Act III, Scene 2)

When the aged King Lear relinquishes his empire, he divides it among his three daughters, promising the largest share to the one who professes to love him the most. The older daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter him, but the youngest, Cordelia, refuses to engage in such insincere flattery.

This leads to Lear disowning and banishing Cordelia, who then marries the king of France. Goneril and Regan then turn on Lear, leaving him to wander madly in a furious storm.

King Lear is a nightmarish family drama of global proportions that forces us to confront our humanity and the profound need for compassion.

CHARACTERS

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King Lear
Stylised white letter 'C on a black background
Cordelia
Stylised white letter 'R' on a black background
Regan
Stylised white letter 'G' on a black background
Gloucester
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Edmund
Stylised white letter 'G' on a black background
Goneril

PAST PRODUCTIONS

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In 2022 King Lear was directed by Helena Kaut-Howson. The production starred Kathryn Hunter in the title role, with Marcello Magni and Michelle Terry.

So far, Shakespeare’s Globe has staged King Lear six times:

1999 – Kathakali King Lear

2001 – dir. Barry Kyle

2008 – dir. Dominic Dromgoole

2014 – dir. Bill Buckhurst

2017 – dir. Nancy Meckler

2022 – dir. Helena Kaut-Howson

WATCH ON GLOBE PLAYER

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King Lear (2007)

Best known as Artistic Director of Shared Experience for over 20 years and with numerous credits including the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, Nancy Meckler brings her charismatic style to the Globe for the first time in this heart-rending 2017 production of King Lear.

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EVENTS

While we don’t currently have any King Lear events, why not dive into our current shows and discover great live theatre from just £5?

'Cymbeline' show artwork depicts a woman wearing a sandy sleeveless dress, a chest piece of layered jewellery, and bangles. She stands against a background of pink and purple curtains, framed by a lit candelabra. She lifts an ornate foliage headpiece to her head, obscuring her face from view. At the bottom left of the image, white block-text reads ‘CYMBELINE’.

Cymbeline

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
★★★★ ‘Bold and vivid’ (Evening Standard)

Don't miss our ★★★★ 'mesmerising' (WhatsOnStage), 'stylish... and inventive' (The Stage) production of Shakespeare’s late tale of love, loss and legacy, in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Directed by Jennifer Tang.
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Three Sisters

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
★★★★★ ‘All versions should be measured against this wonderful production’ (The Telegraph)

Experience this ★★★★ ‘riveting, passionate, terrific' (Evening Standard) production of Anton Chekhov’s masterful study of family legacy in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. The world premiere of a ★★★★ ‘vivid new translation’ (The Stage) by playwright Rory Mullarkey.
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Three young people jumping over the camera under a stormy grey sky. One of them holds a crown. The image is overlaid with white text saying 'Macbeth', with the Supported by Deutsche Bank/Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank logo.

Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth

Globe Theatre
A daring new 90-minute version of Shakespeare’s tale of tyranny and ambition, created especially for young people. When three women predict soldier Macbeth’s future, he decides to fulfil their prophecy and seize control of the nation, but at a terrible cost.
Young People
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Twilight Walking Tour

Bankside
Explore the Bankside area and be transported back to London's 'Kingdom of Night' and discover Shakespeare's fascination with the dark.
Guided Tours
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Shakespeare’s Globe Story & Tour

Globe Theatre
This unique experience includes access to our brand-new walk-through exhibition space – bringing 400 years of thrilling history to life – and a guided tour of the Globe Theatre itself.
Guided Tours
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KING LEAR MERCHANDISE

Discover the complete and unabridged text of King Lear, fully annotated and with extensive notes. The Oxford Shakespeare is recommended for students studying at A level and above.

Treat Thyself

Stand out from the crowd with a kinetic storm of colour on this 100% organic cotton t-shirt, illustrating an iconic quote from King Lear. Part of our Print to Order service.

Treat Thyself

A perfect gift for any lover of Lear, this DVD of Nancy Meckler’s 2017 production at the Globe is shot through with touches of humour and moments of heart-rending simplicity.

Treat Thyself

EXPLORE FURTHER

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A sneak peek of bringing King Lear to the stage – this blog was written as an exclusive first look at Kathryn Hunter as the despot ruler, Lear, as part of our Summer 2022 season.

This Great Stage of Fools

A collection of crowns sit upon the wooden stage of the Globe Theatre.

Take a look at the making of crowns, a key prop in any play about monarchs. We hear from actors, wardrobe and props about bringing royalty like King Lear to the stage.

Crafting Crowns

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Watch a series of beautiful and inspiring short films made by students in response to some of our past productions at the Globe, including King Lear.

Shakespeare on Film

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