Characterisation in King Lear Productions

Q8: Discuss the characterisation in the play. How important are they in the production of the play?
In any play, the characters and how they are performed are they key to how the meaning and themes within the play are communicated to the audience. Shakespeares “King Lear” is no different- although the various productions, both on stage and in film adhere to the same basic plot and themes set up by Shakespeares original, the script is, at the same time, open to interpretation according to the directors’ contexts and perception. Directors, through their choice of actors, setting, costume, lighting, and camera techniques cannot help but influence the audience’s response to the play.

The comparison of Peter Brooks production of “King Lear”, (produced in 1971) with the Michael Elliot version (produced in 1983), demonstrates how dramatically contrasting the interpretat...