A year of Lear: Four new stagings hone in on the tragedy’s timeless lessons
Four separate productions of "King Lear" in one year in Japan signal renewed interest in the Shakespeare play that hasn't always been the first choice.
Within a singular year, four distinct productions of William Shakespeare's "King Lear" have graced the Tokyo theater scene. Two productions have already concluded their runs. In October, Shinobu Otake, a three-time Japan Academy Award-winning actress, took on the traditionally male role of the monarch in a subversive adaptation.
This May, renowned Shakespearean actor and director Kotaro Yoshida, recipient of the prestigious Medal with Purple Ribbon, assumed the role of King Lear at the Saitama Performing Arts Theater. The play is part of the Saitama Theater's esteemed Sainokuni Shakespeare Series, which rotates through all 37 of Shakespeare's plays. Following its Tokyo premiere, the production embarked on a domestic tour this summer.
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