Acting Shakespeare A Roundtable Discussion with Artists from the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s 2007 Production of King Lear

Abstract

Flachmann: Although King Lear has always been popular in the twentieth century, we’ve recently seen an unprecedented surge in productions of the play, with major mountings of the script during the past two years at the Denver Theatre Center, the Goodman, the Milwaukee Rep, the New York Shakespeare Festival with Kevin Kline, the Chicago Shakespeare Festival, BAM with Ian McKellen, and the Stratford Festival with Brian Bedford. Why such a renewed interest in the play at this particular time in our history. What special truths does the script have to teach us? What is it about this play that speaks so eloquently to us today? Jim, if I could start with you, sir?