King Lear − Learning Pack
Contents
About This Pack...... 1
Background Information...... 2
Teaching Information ...... 3
Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis...... 5
Find Out More...... 12
1 King Lear − Learning Pack
About
This learning pack supports the Donmar Warehouse production of King Lear, directed by Michael Grandage, which opened on 7th December 2010 in London.
Our packs are designed to support viewing the recording on the National Theatre Collection. This pack provides links to the UK school curriculum and other productions in the Collection. It also has a plot synopsis with timecodes to allow you to jump to specific sections of the play.
1 King Lear − Learning Pack
Background Information
Recording Date – 3rd February, 2011 Location – Donmar Warehouse, London Age Recommendation – 12+
Cast
Earl of Kent ...... Michael Hadley Early of Gloucester ...... Paul Jesson Edmund ...... Alec Newman King Lear ...... Derek Jacobi Goneril...... Gina McKee Regan ...... Justine Mitchell Cordelia ...... Pippa Bennett-Warner Duke of Albany ...... Tom Beard Duke of Cornwall ...... Gideon Turner Duke of Burgundy ...... Stefano Braschi King of France ...... Ashley Zhangazha Edgar ...... Gwilym Lee Oswald ...... Amit Shah The Fool ...... Ron Cook Gentleman...... Harry Attwell Old Servant ...... Derek Hutchinson
Creative Team Director ...... Michael Grandage Designer ...... Christopher Oram Lighting Designer ...... Neil Austin Composer & Sound Designer ...... Adam Cork
2 King Lear − Learning Pack Teaching Information
This production is particularly suitable for:
• English Literature students who are studying the play for A 'Level. • Drama and theatre students who are studying the play for A 'Level, including those exploring the theme of family conflict.
In particular you might like to explore:
• The balance between the social and the emotional context in this production. • How the title role is portrayed and how our sympathy is directed in this production. • How the sound and lighting design help to create atmosphere in the production.
There are a number of other productions in the National Theatre Collection that relate to this one, which you and your students may wish to explore alongside it.
Other productions featuring members of the same creative team
Production Date Artist Les Blancs 2016 Adam Cork - Sound Designer
London Assurance 2010 Neil Austin - Lighting Designer She Stoops to Conquer 2012 Neil Austin - Lighting Designer
The Cherry Orchard 2011 Neil Austin - Lighting Designer
Dara 2015 Neil Austin - Lighting Designer
3 King Lear − Learning Pack Teaching Information
Other productions by William Shakespeare
Production Date Director
Coriolanus 2014 Josie Rourke
Othello 2013 Nicholas Hytner
Hamlet 2010 Nicholas Hytner
Julius Caesar 2011 Nicholas Hytner
Macbeth (Schools) 2017 Justin Audibert
Romeo and Juliet (Schools) 2017 Bijan Sheibani
The Winter’s Tale (Schools) 2018 Justin Audibert
Twelfth Night 2017 Simon Godwin
4 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
Differences to Shakespeare’s original *
Very little of the original play is cut in this version with a few minor changes and directorial decisions. No whole scenes are cut, but some are slightly trimmed.
• The character of Curan is cut from Act II, Scene i. • Some minor characters such as the Gentleman, are multiroled by single actors. • This production explains the absence of the Fool in the second half by having him walk off stage left at the end of the first half, opposite from the other characters. • In the ‘storm scene’ (Act III, Scene ii), this production internalised Lear’s speech by having him whisper over the storm, rather than the typical bellowing.
*Using Arden Shakespeare Third Series edition of King Lear
Act I, Scene i: The Earl of Kent and the Earl of Gloucester discuss the upcoming division of the kingdom. Gloucester introduces Kent to his bastard son Edmund.
5 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
King Lear announces he will divide his kingdom between his three daughters according to how they answer the question ‘Which of you shall we say doth love us most?’. Goneril and Regan give large, meretricious declarations of love to their father, and both are given equal thirds. Cordelia, the youngest says ‘nothing’, explaining she will not speak in hyperbole just to gain land. Lear has a fit of rage and banishes Cordelia. Kent tries to intervene and is also banished. Lear renounces Cordelia’s dowry but the King of France agrees to marry her regardless. They leave together for France. Lear and his troupe of knights are to spend alternate months with Goneril and Regan. However when alone the two sisters plot to undermine the ‘infirm’ Lear.
Act I, Scene ii (0:14:49): Edmund plots to remove his brother Edgar from his father’s favour. He shows Gloucester a forged letter from Edgar and tricks Edgar into staying away from his father, which makes Gloucester believe in Edgar’s guilt.
Act I, Scene iii (0:21:59): Goneril and her servant Oswald plot to deal severely with Lear’s bawdy knights.
Act I, Scene iv (0:23:32): Kent disguises himself as a poor man to serve Lear. Oswald enters and is rude to Lear so Kent trips him which pleases the king. Lear’s Fool enters and mocks Lear for his foolishness in dealing with his daughters. Goneril tells Lear he must reduce his entourage of Knights. Lear leaves in a rage. Goneril sends a letter to Regan to warn her of Lear’s arrival.
Act I, Scene v (0:37:03): Lear exits Goneril’s house, furious. He sends Kent (in disguise) with a message for Gloucester.
Act II, Scene i (0:39:22): Edmund is tricked by Edgar into fleeing. As others enter Edmund pretends to have fought off the traitorous Edgar. Gloucester banishes Edgar.
6 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
Act II, Scene ii (0:43:25): Oswald is attacked by Kent for betraying Lear. Cornwall condemns Kent for abusing Goneril's servant and puts him in the stocks.
Act II, Scene iii (0:48:54): Edgar, banished and in hiding, disguises himself as a mad beggar called Poor Tom.
Act II, Scene iv (0:50:42): Lear arrives to find his servant Kent in the stocks. He releases Kent after Regan refuses to help him. Goneril arrives and both daughters humiliate Lear by refusing to let him bring any knights. Lear runs off into the tempestuous night. Goneril and Regan refuse to help, and they lock him out.
Act III, Scene i (1:04:47): A Gentleman tells Kent of Lear’s ousting. Kent tells him France and Cordelia are preparing their armies at Dover to help Lear against the daughters.
Act III, Scene ii (1:06:39): Lear rages at the storm, cursing his daughters and himself. The Fool tries to comfort him. Kent discovers
7 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
them and they take shelter.
Act III, Scene iii (1:11:11): Gloucester tells Edmund of France’s preparation for war, trusting Edmund to keep it secret. Alone, Edmund plots to use the letter to ruin his father.
Act III, Scene iv (1:12:40): Lear, Kent and the Fool are sheltering in a hovel when they come across the half-naked Edgar (Poor Tom). Wanting to be like that ‘unaccommodated man’, Lear starts to tear off his clothes. Gloucester finds them and leads them away to better shelter.
Act III, Scene v (1:20:32): Edmund shows Cornwall the letter condemning Gloucester of treason.
Act III, Scene vi (1:21:36): Gloucester takes Lear and co. to a shelter.
Lear conducts a mock trial of his daughters. Gloucester enters with news of a plot to kill him. He urges Caius to take Lear immediately to Dover, so Gloucester and Kent carry him away while the Fool sullenly walks off the other way.
8 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
Interval
Act III, Scene vii (1:26:41): Gloucester is brought in a bound. Cornwall and Regan gauge out his eyes. A servant dies trying to defend Gloucester, mortally wounding Cornwall in the process. Gloucester, blinded, is thrown out of the house.
Act IV, Scene i (1:31:30): Edgar (still disguised) finds his blinded father and offers to help him. Gloucester wishes to go to Dover to commit suicide. Edgars offers to lead him.
Act IV, Scene ii (1:35:42): Goneril and Edmund scheme to be together, and are discovered by Goneril’s husband Albany who is repulsed. A messenger informs them of Cornwall’s death, and Goneril worries Regan will try and steal Edmund from her. Albany learns of Edmund’s treachery against Gloucester.
Act IV, Scene iii (1:40:15): Kent learns that Cordelia wants to see her father, but he warns a Gentleman Lear is so ashamed he will not see her.
Act IV, Scene iv (1:41:52): Cordelia is searching for Lear. A Gentleman warns that the English army is advancing. Cordelia prepares for battle.
Act IV, Scene v (1:43:22): Regan intercepts Oswald to prevent him carrying a letter from Goneril to Edmund.
Act IV, Scene vi (1:45:48): Edgar leads his farther, pretending they are at the edge of Dover clifftop. Gloucester “throws” himself down, thinking he has killed himself. Edgar greets him pretending to be a stranger at the bottom and that Gloucester miraculously survived the fall, saying he saw a devil tricking him into jumping. Lear enters dressed in flowers and madly ranting. He and Gloucester struggle to recognise each other. Cordelia’s attendants arrive to bring Lear to her. Oswald
9 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
enters and attempts to kill Gloucester but Edgar intervenes, killing Oswald. Edgar finds the letter from Goneril to Edmund, and leads Gloucester to safety.
Act IV, Scene vii (2:04:16): Kent reveals his true identity to Cordelia. Lear and Cordelia meet and are reconciled. Kent prepares for the oncoming battle.
Act V, Scene i (2:12:12): Regan questions Edmund over his feelings for Goneril. Albany vows to pardon Lear and Cordelia if they win. Edgar gives Goneril’s secret letter to Albany and vows to return at the Herald’s call. Edmund plots how to kill Albany.
Act V, Scene ii (2:15:20): The battle takes place and France are defeated. Lear and Cordelia are taken prisoner by the English.
Act V, Scene iii (2:16:38): Lear and Cordelia are led off by guards. Edmund sends instructions to execute them. Albany orders Edmund to release Lear and Cordelia but he refuses. Albany has him arrested for
10 King Lear − Learning Pack Adaptation Details & Plot Synopsis
treason. Regan exists feeling sick, poisoned by Goneril. A Herald sounds the trumpet and Edgar enters to challenge Edmund. Edgar mortally wounds Edmund. Goneril is confronted with her treasonous letter and runs away. Edgar reveals his identity and explains that Gloucester died. A Gentleman reports that Regan died of the poison, and Goneril has killed herself.
As his last act before dying Edmund orders Lear and Cordelia to be saved, but it is too late. Lear enters carrying the dead Cordelia. Unable to accept Cordelia's death, Lear believes she is still breathing and at that moment dies. Kent exits to follow Lear to the grave, leaving Albany and Edgar to rule.
The End
11 King Lear − Learning Pack
Find out more
Watch
Shakespeare and Old Age: Simon Russell Beale - playing King Lear in a different production, Simon Russell Beale talks about the role.
Shakespeare at the NT: The 21st Century
Shakespeare at the NT: Writer for Today
Performing Shakespeare
Listen
Nicholas Hytner in discussion with Abigail Rokinson Woodall discussing Shakespeare in the twenty-first century.
Explore
The National Theatre’s digital exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture, including Shakespeare at the National Theatre.
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