King Lear

2023-24 Drama Season: Love & Identity – King Lear, Written by William Shakespeare, Directed by Lucas James Nelson at the Claire Trevor Theatre.  In this unique production, Cynthia Bassham, Drama Faculty and Head of Undergraduate Acting, takes on the role of King Lear.

When King Lear decides to step down from the throne, he intends to split his kingdom evenly among his three daughters in order to avoid conflict. Lear’s plan quickly goes awry when his youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to engage in Lear’s vain game of flattery. A power vacuum quickly ensues, as Lear banishes his two closest allies, Kent and Cordelia. While Lear contends with his oldest daughters and declining mental state, Edmund, the bastard son of Gloucester, attempts to usurp his father and half-brother, Edgar, in an attempt to legitimize his own place in the world. Emphasizing the role of Nature in the play, UCI’s production of King Lear asks: What happens when the need for power and greed is so extreme that it erodes our place in the natural world? And what will it take to bring us back into balance with nature?

Our production features a gender-neutral approach to casting, purposefully contrasted with the original pronouns of Shakespeare’s text. This creative choice adds a new layer of complexity to the characters and their relationships, while also challenging traditional notions of power, authority, and family dynamics.

Approximate run time:
Act 1: 1 hour 30 minutes
15 minute intermission
Act 2: 50 minutes
Total: 2 hours 35 minutes

Recommended for ages 13+. Please note this show contains:

Simulated thunder and lightning (flashing/strobe lights and loud sound effects)
Depictions of blood, extreme violence, murder, suicide

Generous support for this production is provided by the Robert and Lorna Cohen Endowment for Excellence in Drama, Theatre Guild, and Claire Trevor Society.