UCD DramSoc’s King Lear is a Vividly Raw Interpretation of Shakespearean Tragedy

Image Credit: UCD Dramsoc

Head of Reviews Robert Flynn describes UCD DramSoc’s tortured and enthralling interpretation of King Lear

After showcasing ‘Hamlet’ last year, the UCD Drama society is now making a return to rich Shakespearean tragedy. Though, those who recognize the totemic prose and soliloquies of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ may not be instantly familiar with the especially tragic and utterly tortured tale of ‘King Lear’. Famous for its intertwining complexities and steep well of conniving and corrupted characters, ‘King Lear’ is often left on the creative back burner when it comes to reinterpretations of Shakespeare plays. Nonetheless, ‘King Lear’’s fearless director Harry Eaves and assistant director Rebecca Ngoie have found an intriguing context in which to place the vituperative familial feuds that shape King Lear. With an Irish tricolor peeking out of a coat rack adorned with beige sportjackets and umbrellas, this interpretation feels eerily close to home.

Where once there were medieval disputes and battles there is now austere, Irish melodrama.

The distinctly mid century Irish setting does not encroach on the Shakespearean dialogue or narrative, yet it is unavoidably present. The setting surrounds and encroaches on the cast at all times. Visual design artist Sophie Finucane’s work with set designers Brian Titus and Ralph Gosnell as well as costume designer Ishbel C. Ray scatters Papal, Christian and celtic motifs throughout the play. Crucifixes strangle the necks of King Lear (Michael Corbett) and Edmund (Aisling McGlynn) while images of Christ and the pope hang over a mantle piece and judge each of the scenes of confrontation that are often underscored by the expert bodhrán playing of the show’s musical director Setanta Flood. 

The show's setting compliments the sternly patriarchal figure of King Lear very well, echoing Ireland’s dark, Catholic history as he disowns his loving daughter Cordelia (Siobhan Royle) after she refuses to marry. Cordelia’s exceedingly more opportunistic sisters Goneril (Constance Henry) and Regan (Julia Szarota) offer their father a deceiving form of love that will secretly undermine the King as he grants them a significant amount of his land. Edmund, the bastard son of Gloucester (Eva McCartney), receives a similar form of neglect from his father as Cordelia does from Lear, however, Edmund feels especially heartbroken and maligned. He takes the matter into his own conniving hands by framing his own guileless brother Edgar (Daragh Maclachlan) as a threat to their father Gloucester, a deceitful action that results in several unfortunate and gory turns.

The cast of ‘Lear’ singlehandedly bring the torture and tragedy of Shakespeare’s text to the forefront of their play and lay it bare on the stage through the culmination of their vividly raw and vulpine performances.

Henry, Szarota, and McGlynn give incredibly measured performances that are built through shared, knowing glances and strict postures that reflect their secretive and methodical nature. Often, ‘Lear’ can become extremely mired in unbearable tragedy, though, these three performers are the ones that can centre the emotion and flow of the play, allowing scenes to incorporate compelling bouts of silence and subtle tension. 

Nonetheless, heights of emotion are a necessity when creating an interpretation of something as evocative as ‘King Lear’. Corbett, McCartney, Maclachlan, James Durkin as Albany and Gráinne Mulkeen Casey as Kent collectively build the emotional and tragic core that makes this version of ‘Lear’ as compelling as it is.

Tears, moments of belligerent rage and spurts of violence build much of Lear’s latter acts though emotion is used sparringly and effectively by each of these collected performers.

Instead of building character solely through booming shouts or overstated deliveries, every performer bears an impressive degree of vulnerability that builds intriguing dimensions to their characters that allow each of them to meld and transform throughout Shakespeare’s five acts. 

Eaves and Ngoie’s vision of ‘King Lear’ impressively reaches the pinnacle of Shakespearean tragedy through its inventive use of theme and setting that is only heightened by its troupe of indelible performances. Perhaps next year, one of Shakespeare’s sunnier and merrier plays will have to suffice!