Queen Lear - quirky re-telling of a classic
Dig out the rugs, camping chairs and pack a picnic as Bard in the Botanics, Scotland’s premier Shakespeare Company, return to the University of Stirling for their annual outdoor performance on campus grounds on Sunday July 23.
This year Bard in the Botanics reimagines his best loved tragedy from the perspective not of a king, but of a great queen in their production of Queen Lear, a quirky re-telling of a classic. Queen Lear is one quarter of an adventurous new season programme for the company that celebrates the headstrong females of Shakespeare’s writing, and aims to mix traditional gender theatre categories with women cast in the lead roles in all four productions.
“We believe it is important for us to be presenting a season of work which puts women at the heart of all the stories we are telling,” said Bard in the Botanics artistic director, Gordon Barr. “The time is right for a conversation about the opportunities for woman in classical theatre and their representation on stage. There is absolutely no reason why a female actor can’t play a Lear or Timon. Women should not be confined to the roles of wife or daughter. We need to see them as rulers, leaders, politicians, everything they are in the world today. This season features some remarkable female actors playing some incredible roles, and whether those roles were originally female or have been reinterpreted from a female perspective, all of this year’s productions will feature Bard in the Botanics’ trademark bold, accessible style, bringing these stories to life afresh for modern audiences.”
With Scottish actress Janette Foggo taking the lead, the aged Queen Lear wishes to divide her kingdom between her three children, with the one who loves her the most receiving the largest slice. Her eldest daughters play along; declaring their boundless love for their mother, but her young son refuses to join in the game. In a rage, the Queen banishes her beloved son and unwittingly puts herself under the ‘loving’ care of her daughters. Finding herself isolated and meaningless, the Queen must battle her loss of her place, position and, terrifyingly, the loss of reason.
Bard in the Botanics has staged more than 50 productions of Shakespeare’s work to audiences totalling over 70,000 since 2002. Every year they take a break from their summer run at the Botanical Gardens in Glasgow, travelling to Stirling to hold a one-off outdoor performance for Macrobert on the university campus. For those concerned about Scotland’s infamous summer weather, if it rains the performance will relocate indoors to Macrobert’s Mainhouse for a much drier setting.
Tickets are available from www. macrobertartscentre.org, by calling the Box Office on 01786 466 666 or visiting in person.