CAST
King Lear (Ralph Johnson)
The aging king of Britain is ready to give up the responsibilities of leadership and hand them over to his daughters, but he’s not yet ready to relinquish the privileges of power. Lear has an inflated perception is owed to him and is inclined to punish anyone who doesn’t afford him the deference he feels he deserves. It is this ego, more than anything that drives the tragedy in this play. Nonetheless, there’s something about the old man that inspires loyalty and love - Cordelia, The Fool, Gloucester, Kent, and Edgar are all ready to risk their lives for him.
The aging king of Britain is ready to give up the responsibilities of leadership and hand them over to his daughters, but he’s not yet ready to relinquish the privileges of power. Lear has an inflated perception is owed to him and is inclined to punish anyone who doesn’t afford him the deference he feels he deserves. It is this ego, more than anything that drives the tragedy in this play. Nonetheless, there’s something about the old man that inspires loyalty and love - Cordelia, The Fool, Gloucester, Kent, and Edgar are all ready to risk their lives for him.
Goneril (Hannah Pratt)
The eldest of Lear’s three daughters, and wife of the Duke of Albany, Goneril is more than ready to rule. A clever woman, she knows what she wants and is prepared to do whatever it takes to get it, no matter who suffers in the process; if she knows right from wrong, she certainly doesn’t let that stand in her way.
The eldest of Lear’s three daughters, and wife of the Duke of Albany, Goneril is more than ready to rule. A clever woman, she knows what she wants and is prepared to do whatever it takes to get it, no matter who suffers in the process; if she knows right from wrong, she certainly doesn’t let that stand in her way.
The
Duke of Albany (Richard
Mays)
Goneril’s husband is not a wicked man at heart, but he tends to be dominated by the stronger personality of his wife. He doesn’t recognise the malign nature of the people he’s allied with, and largely lacks the decisiveness to oppose what he doesn’t approve of.
Goneril’s husband is not a wicked man at heart, but he tends to be dominated by the stronger personality of his wife. He doesn’t recognise the malign nature of the people he’s allied with, and largely lacks the decisiveness to oppose what he doesn’t approve of.
Regan (Cassandra
Cleland)
Lear’s middle daughter, Regan, who is married to the Duke of Cornwall, is at least as clever, ruthless and ambitious as her sister. The pair are allies throughout much of the play, spurring each other on to ever greater acts of cruelty and callousness: at least, until they both set their eyes on the same prize.
Lear’s middle daughter, Regan, who is married to the Duke of Cornwall, is at least as clever, ruthless and ambitious as her sister. The pair are allies throughout much of the play, spurring each other on to ever greater acts of cruelty and callousness: at least, until they both set their eyes on the same prize.
The Duke of Cornwall (Tobias
Lockhart)
Unlike Albany, Cornwall is fully on board with the actions of his wife and sister in law, delighting in their persecution of Lear and others. He’s unashamedly cruel, violent and domineering.
Unlike Albany, Cornwall is fully on board with the actions of his wife and sister in law, delighting in their persecution of Lear and others. He’s unashamedly cruel, violent and domineering.
Cordelia (Jess Hong)
It’s hard to tell how Cordelia, the youngest of the three sisters comes to be so different from Goneril and Regan. Mild mannered, kind and loving, she won’t lie even when her refusal to flatter Lear costs her a share of his kingdom and sends her into exile. Even this doesn’t destroy her loyalty. Cordelia is valued wherever true virtue is prized: it’s unfortunate for her that so few appreciate it.
It’s hard to tell how Cordelia, the youngest of the three sisters comes to be so different from Goneril and Regan. Mild mannered, kind and loving, she won’t lie even when her refusal to flatter Lear costs her a share of his kingdom and sends her into exile. Even this doesn’t destroy her loyalty. Cordelia is valued wherever true virtue is prized: it’s unfortunate for her that so few appreciate it.
The Earl of Gloucester (Bruce
Sinclair)
A nobleman in Lear’s (and later Regan’s) service, Gloucester is an adulterer who has fathered a bastard son as well as his legitimate heir. Callous in speech and lacking in judgement, Gloucester appears weak and ineffectual at the beginning of the play, but proves to have a core of courage to draw on.
A nobleman in Lear’s (and later Regan’s) service, Gloucester is an adulterer who has fathered a bastard son as well as his legitimate heir. Callous in speech and lacking in judgement, Gloucester appears weak and ineffectual at the beginning of the play, but proves to have a core of courage to draw on.
Edgar (Sam Daly)
Gloucester’s legitimate son, Edgar is something of a chameleon. Gullible and easily tricked at the outset of the play, he disguises himself to transform from nobleman, to beggar and finally to champion. Rather like Cordelia, he remains loyal to his father and his king in the face of rejection and betrayal.
Gloucester’s legitimate son, Edgar is something of a chameleon. Gullible and easily tricked at the outset of the play, he disguises himself to transform from nobleman, to beggar and finally to champion. Rather like Cordelia, he remains loyal to his father and his king in the face of rejection and betrayal.
Edmund
(Jacob Dale)
The younger son of Gloucester, Edmund is a bastard and never allowed to forget it. It is, perhaps, not surprising then that he set out to get for himself what he sees being given as a right to his brother and, being a very capable man, he’s effective in getting it.
The younger son of Gloucester, Edmund is a bastard and never allowed to forget it. It is, perhaps, not surprising then that he set out to get for himself what he sees being given as a right to his brother and, being a very capable man, he’s effective in getting it.
The Fool (Chloe
McCarten, Ashleigh Matheson, Kat Sowerby)
An enigmatic and multifaceted character, the Fool loves Lear and alone of all the King’s followers is allowed to speak unpalatable truths to the monarch, able to chide with impunity where others would be punished or banished. The Fool’s truths often come wrapped in nonsense, but they are important, nonetheless,
An enigmatic and multifaceted character, the Fool loves Lear and alone of all the King’s followers is allowed to speak unpalatable truths to the monarch, able to chide with impunity where others would be punished or banished. The Fool’s truths often come wrapped in nonsense, but they are important, nonetheless,
The
Earl of Kent (Rob Lloyd)
Another of Lear’s loyal servants whose honesty (and his bluntness) cost him dearly, Kent values his integrity and his service above all else – he will never betray it, himself, or his king.
Another of Lear’s loyal servants whose honesty (and his bluntness) cost him dearly, Kent values his integrity and his service above all else – he will never betray it, himself, or his king.
Oswald (Marshall Rankin)
Oswald’s the perfect servant for Goneril: unthinkingly and unswervingly obedient. If she wasn’t a job doing, Oswald will do it, and he won’t ask questions or raise objections, no matter what it is.
Oswald’s the perfect servant for Goneril: unthinkingly and unswervingly obedient. If she wasn’t a job doing, Oswald will do it, and he won’t ask questions or raise objections, no matter what it is.
The King of France (Jak Edens)
An honourable man, he’s able to see that Cordelia is a prize, even cast off by her father and without a dowry. He’s a man with his priorities in place.
An honourable man, he’s able to see that Cordelia is a prize, even cast off by her father and without a dowry. He’s a man with his priorities in place.
The Duke of Burgundy (Ethan Burmeister)
Burgundy’s priorities are a little different to his King’s – he’d like to help Cordelia, but is a bit too selfish to do it without a monetary incentive
Burgundy’s priorities are a little different to his King’s – he’d like to help Cordelia, but is a bit too selfish to do it without a monetary incentive
Old Man (Mark Kilsby)
A tenant loyal to the Earl of Gloucester, destined to bring about a reconciliation in the Earl’s time of need.
A tenant loyal to the Earl of Gloucester, destined to bring about a reconciliation in the Earl’s time of need.
Doctor
(Aaron McLean)
A capable physician who tends to Lear when the king and Cordelia are reunited.
A capable physician who tends to Lear when the king and Cordelia are reunited.
