Tag Archives: King Lear

King Lear Performance

Cillian, Nick, Michael with Eamonn Owens
Cillian, Nick, Michael with Eamonn Owens

The ‘King Lear’ performance by Sackville Theatre Company today was brilliant. A selection of scenes was acted featuring Lear’s relationship with his daughters and the Fool. The choices and actions of Lear were carefully tracked culminating in his descent into madness. The performers engaged the students with solid performances and thought-provoking interpretations of their characters. One of the highlights of the show was the modern setting of some key elements of the play which featured a family divided over inheritance. This modern family creatively reworded Lear’s ‘Blow winds’ soliloquy into a rap that comically captured many aspects of the tragedy of Lear’s downfall. A thoughtful discussion ensued as the students engaged in a question and answer session with the actors and director. Not only was the morning highly entertaining, but it also served as a way to highlight a reflective analysis of key issues in the tragedy of  ‘King Lear’.

Jack, Cillian, Nick, Michael with the cast and director
Jack, Cillian, Nick, Michael with the cast and director

King Lear Challenge November 2014

Well done to all 5th Year students who took part in the King Lear Challenge on Wednesday 5th November. It was a most enjoyable occasion and the participants performed to an excellent standard. The fifth and third year audience members were highly impressed by the expression and dramatic skills of the ‘actors’. All participants were winners. There were two extremely engaging groups performances: Aaliyah and Britney with their interpretation of Goneril and Regan’s plotting against Lear, and Stephen, Michael, Luke, Jack and Nick’s re-enactment of the mock trial scene. Both groups were excellent. The soliloquies were very ably performed, with two presentations of Edmund’s bastard speech by Aoife and by Junior; two performances of Edgar’s transformation into Tom by Drew and by Simon; and a powerful recital of the Lear’s storm speech by Gavin. This kind of memorisation and personal dramatisation of a moment allows students to become experts in understanding the many facets of Shakespeare’s King Lear. Congratulations to all.

Some of the King Lear Challenge Participants
Some of the King Lear Challenge Participants

King Lear Act 4 Quotes

Have a look at the quotes for Act 4 attached below. Choose one of them or any other important quote from the act and comment on it below.

1. Re-write the quote

2. Put it in context – speaker, what’s going on at that moment

3. Explain the quote

4. Outline its significance in the scene and in the entire play – imagery, theme, character, plot development etc.

5. Give your own personal response to the significance of the quote – the impact it has made on you.

Don’t forget to read the comments of your classmates. Good luck and enjoy.

Act 4 Quotes

King Lear Act 3 Quotes

Many thanks to Aoife and Drew for the great work they did on Act 3 quotes. It is much appreciated.

So it is time now to start commenting on one quote from each of the three acts detailed today. I will extend the deadline to Saturday 8pm. Choose a quote, write it in the comment box and outline the impact it has had on you. As always give some background details and significance too.

Act 3 Quotes

King Lear Act 2 Quotes

Great work done by Saula and Gabriele. Thank you for putting the Act 2 quotes together.

Again 5th years, now you must read the quotes and choose one or part of one that has made an impact on you. rewrite the quote in the comment section, give details of the context and significance and add your own thoughts, opinion, reflections. Act 3 should be up before the end of the day.

Act 2 Quotes

King Lear Act 1 Quotes

Here are the some important quotes from Act 1. Many thanks to Simon and Lydia for their hard work putting these quotes together. Now each student has a task. You must choose one of these quotes, or a portion of one and write the quote into the comments section below, comment on the context – speaker, when, why and to whom s/he speaks and significance of the quote. Please also make sure to add your own personal response to the quote. (Apologies, but it might take me a little longer than planned to compile Acts 2 and 3 from the students who submitted on those acts – but hopefully before the end of the day.) Just click on the link below to access the quotes. Good luck!

Act 1 Quotes

King Lear Challenge November 2014

Wednesday 5th November

Fifth years, the time is here for you to show your talents and your love for Shakespeare. Over the next four weeks start preparing a dramatisation of a key moment in ‘King Lear’. You may work alone or in pairs or small groups. Excellence is the standard. There will be an award for the best soliloquy performance and an award for the best drama performance. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

Soliloquy (alone 18 – 22 lines)

OR

Drama (2 – 4 characters about 40 – 50 lines)

You have complete freedom to choose from anywhere in ‘King Lear’ but here are some suggestions:

Suggested soliloquies or speeches:

Act 1.1 Lear – ‘Peace Kent’ speech

Act 1.2 Edmund – ‘Thou, Nature, art my goddess’ speech

Act 1.2 Edmund – ‘This is the excellent foppery of the world’ speech

Act 1.4 Lear’s three tirades against Goneril – choose 22 lines (incorporate natural pauses/breaks)

Act 2.3 Edgar’s soliloquy

Act 2.4 Lear ‘O reason not the need’

And more…

Suggested dramas:

Act 1.1 The love test – Lear, Cordelia, Regan, Goneril ‘Meantime….my sometime daughter’

Act 1.4 Goneril reduces Lear’s train – Lear, Goneril, Fool ‘Enter Goneril….Enter Albany’

(Two long speeches by Goneril – one of them can be read)

Act 1.5 – All – the Fool and Lear

Act 2.1 Edmund and Gloucester ‘Persuade me to the murder of…I’ll work the means to make thee capable.’

Act 2.2 Kent is stocked – Cornwall, Kent, Regan, Gloucester ‘Fetch forth the stocks…A good man’s fortune may grow out at heels.’

Act 2.4 Lear is angry because R and C refuse to see him – Lear, Gloucester (Fool) ‘Deny to speak to me…buttered his hay.’

Act 2.4 R and C finally meet Lear – Regan, Lear ‘I am glad to see your Highness…you taking airs with lameness.’

Act 3.2 Storm – Lear and Fool ‘Blow winds…enter Kent’

Act 3.7 Gloucester’s blindness – Regan, Gloucester, Cornwall, (Servant) ‘Enter Gloucester…Exit one with Gloucester’

And more…

Choose your scene. The ones in bold are particularly dramatic. Start preparing now! Get props and suitable costumes if you can. Work on tone of voice, movement, sound effects. Practice, practice, practice!! Have fun and be experts. Invite your parents to attend if they wish! There will be prizes galore!