King Lear

Synopsis: Video recording, using a single, fixed camera of Yellow Earth Theatre with Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre’s production of King Lear directed by David K.S. Tse with Chinese movie star Zhou Ye Mang as Lear. Lear hands over control of his global business empire to his daughters. In his Shanghai penthouse, he asks them to justify their inheritance. The older sisters flatter their father in elegant Chinese but English-educated Cordelia, no longer fluent in her father’s tongue, says ‘Nothing’. Using video, music and aerial work, the production addresses the miscommunication that arises from migration and Lear’s search for Taoist enlightenment.
Language: Chinese - Mandarin (PRC)
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Notes: Spoken in English and Mandarin with English surtitles.

Streamed at http://globalshakespeares.mit.edu/king-lear-tse-david-2006 (accessed 8/2013)

The production may be accessed online at http://web.mit.edu/shakespeare/asia (accessed 10.2010).
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Multicultural casting; Doubling of roles; Complete Works Festival (Stratford upon Avon 2006-7); Multimedia productions

Director

David K.S. Tse

Music

Wang Jiwei; Wang Jiwel

Production Design

Sang Qi

Cast

Name: Royal Shakespeare Company
Web: https://www.rsc.org.uk External site opens in new window
Address: Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Waterside
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
CV37 6BB

British Universities Film & Video Council