This summer, Cornwall’s Miracle Theatre presents Shakespeare’s most elemental and passionate play King Lear at fifteen wilderness locations across Cornwall from 13 July – 27 August.
From a remote ‘blasted heath’ on Bodmin Moor framed by the magnificent horizon of Brown Willy and Rough Tor to the cliff-top below St Agnes Beacon, with the rugged coast and Atlantic ocean as a backdrop, this is King Lear as you’ve never seen it before. For full venue listings visit www.miracletheatre.co.uk
King Lear is an exquisitely dark tale about a family squabble that grows out of all proportion, blowing up into a storm of deadly force. This fresh and fast-paced adaptation of Shakespeare’s text – performed by a cast of five – tells a shocking, yet tender, story of ageing and madness, fuelled by ambition and fired by betrayal. Full of life and wit this brand-new adaptation is pared down to its bare essentials delivering the full impact of Shakespeare’s gripping story and spell-binding language in just half the time.
Director Bill Scott Says: “These days we expect an economy in story-telling which would have been disappointing to Elizabethan audiences who liked to while away a long afternoon at the theatre. We want Miracle’s adaptation of King Lear to be fast-paced, enthralling entertainment, embedded in glorious locations the length and breadth of Cornwall and enjoyed by grown-ups of all ages and their fearless children!”
Miracle’s previous Shakespeare adaptations (Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo & Juliet and The Tempest) have all been hugely popular with Cornwall’s summer audiences who said:
In the title role, Rosie Hughes transcends gender to bring the old king to life and show his unpredictable nature: a fading physical presence occasionally bursting with formidable energy, half mad but completely sane, an angry old man capable of moments of great tenderness.
The ensemble cast also includes Miracle regulars Steve Jacobs (Twelfth Night, Waiting for Godot, Bah Humbug), Charlotte Merriam (Everyman), Cat Lake (The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, The Third Policeman) and new company member, Ian Harris (Rude Mechanicals).
The production is designed by Cornish artist Paul Spooner, whose work has been described as ‘eccentrically beautiful and endlessly fascinating’ and ‘full of wonder and whimsy.’
Shakespeare loved to weave theatrical magic out of tragedy in a way that is never far from farce, making King Lear ripe for Miracle’s offbeat treatment! Brave the elements this summer and let Shakespeare’s tragic farce surprise you!
Touring to cliff tops, gardens, amphitheatres (and now moorlands) across the South West, since 1979, Miracle’s outdoor productions have become a ‘must do’ activity’ with audiences bringing along their own seating and picnics to enjoy an evening’s entertainment whatever the weather. Book your tickets now at www.miracletheatre.co.uk
