By Cal
Link to Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWyfBfRxhmk
Episode 1 with subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rey2Zp7KAwk
Other episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRc2lmDAjXa1_wLCuL-PKFw/videos
Available until: Unknown
There have been many adaptations of Shakespeare plays which have been made digitally available in lockdown, but all of them can teach you something new about the plays that inspired them and Lear Alone is definitely not the exception. On the contrary.
As the title suggests, only one of Shakespeare’s characters appears in Lear Alone. Lear wanders around the streets (beautiful cinematography from Charles Teton), ignoring messages on his smartphone and speaking Shakespeare’s words, a lonely and confused old man. It’s very sad but so powerful – and also very interesting to see King Lear’s story away from all the plotting and backstabbing of Edmund (much as I like that storyline).
The other characters’ lines aren’t spoken. The characters aren’t seen, though they are sometimes represented by objects. It shows the isolation of the King: that he is truly alone. Despite his position, he can be manipulated. But this adaptation makes you question how much is real and perhaps this is also something that can be carried over to the play. Perhaps it is valid to wonder how much of King Lear is real and how much of it is only his perception.
Lear’s solitude also emphasises his vulnerability, which is also evident in the play. There are so few people he can trust. The Fool disappears (my mum wrote a whole essay on that), Tom isn’t who he says he is and Cordelia isn’t around (not that she’d be very welcome).
The And Tomorrow website provides a synopsis of the play to fill in the gaps for anyone who isn’t familiar with the full story. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to comment on how much sense Lear Alone will make to people not already familiar with King Lear, though I definitely wouldn’t discourage anyone who doesn’t know the play from watching this, but for those who do know the play, I can say it is a fascinating and intriguing adaptation. I really hope everyone who is familiar with King Lear will watch this because it really is an incredible idea which works brilliantly.
Shakespeare’s text fits beautifully with the setting of the play and the props used. Director Anthony Shrubsall really has created something special and exciting. But for any version of King Lear, you need an exceptional actor in the title role and Edmund Dehn is magnificent. He makes the language even more beautiful, the meanings even clearer and even as you’re admiring him as a great Shakespearean, you’re also feeling so sad for Lear and what he is suffering. Even if there are doubts about Lear’s perception of reality, his emotions are real and powerful and very moving.
But this is more than just an adaptation of a play. Lear Alone was created in partnership with the homelessness charity CRISIS and also reminds us that for most of this play, Lear has nowhere to go and nobody to ask for help. For many people, this isn’t just a brilliant play that can be watched online. It is reality. Shooting the film in real outdoor locations really emphasises this aspect of the play in a way that is far more difficult to achieve onstage or on Zoom.
Lear Alone
is a really important play and worth watching for so many reasons.
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