Any Radical King Lear Idea's.? (2 Viewers)

[standup]

Hey hows it going.

Ive got an assignment due in 3 weeks, where i have to do a seminar on my own unique version of king lear. I'm just wondering if anyone has any cool ideas, different to the usual that i could represent in my play....

Heres the question

you are directing a contemporary production of king lear. Present to a group of year 12 Drama students, who have auditioned for this production, your modern vision for the play, explaining and analysing at least ONE KEY SCENE (act1 sc1), taking into account context, values and ideas. Evaluate the play in performane over time to validate your purpose in choosing a particular perspective, considering aspects of dramatic production, including language, audience and dramatic techniques.

support your oral communication with visual aids to effectively communicate your personal understanding to the audience.


Now i dont do drama, nor have any idea what so ever on the subject,, so any ideas on dramatic techniques will be mostly appreciated.

But any cool idea's regarding context or purpose (or even audience) would be awesome

Thanks for your help

 

[SmileyCam]

how about if it was set in an office or something, Lear's the boss etc... that's my 2 cents

oooo... or you could do an australian one where Lear is John Howard

 

[standup]

lol. lear as john howard... lol.. any other cool ideas anyone?

 

[<:eQuiLiBriUm:>]

taking some of my friends idea...but here goes

Lear (played by evil John Howard) is the head of a large company and he 'divides his kingdom in three' between his three business women daughters ( modern context...females more empowered)
The fool is his assisstant
France and Burgundy are competors to Lear's company but also want to take Cordelia's (played by Natalie Portman!!) hand in marriage.
Edmond a corporate thief who sercertly despises his legitimate brother
And the story goes on

You could make it a marxist interpretation
The 2 daughters lust for more power &more status and sends Lear to a retirement home!

 

[yrtherenonames]

You could have the 'heath' (the place where Lear goes nuts) as like the Gulag or at Auschwitz; it's the equivalent of pagan England's dark unenlightened cruel 'heath'.

 

[kristylee_]

Theres tonnes of different ways you could recreate lear for a modern audience... we did it in class heres some ideas:
- corporate Lear
- mafia lear
- Cowboys/Indians
- fairytale (where everything ends happily ever after - not much textual integrity though)
- Sports teams
- drug lord
- 1920's (Capone/gatsby)
- Star Wars
- Suburban (Desperate housewives style)
- Eskimos
- Vatican (pope Lear)
- Pirates
- Islanders
- Aboriginals
- School
Thats just a few ideas we came up with in class, although the corporate Lear seems popular and easy to do