King Lear

Purdue Convocations will present two of the most stunning productions from National Theatre Live in dynamic high-definition video—King Lear and War Horse. In a contemporary update of Shakespeare’s gripping familial tragedy, the legendary Sir Ian McKellen delivers a masterful turn as the aging king seized by madness.

Runtime: 4hr

Since launching its National Theatre Live program in 2009, the historic British theater has extended a long arm of legendary productions from its London base— delighting audiences worldwide with cinematically enhanced presentations of storied stageplays.

About the Chichester Festival Theatre production

“Tender, violent, moving and shocking, King Lear is considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written. This is an explosive, charged and contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s epic masterpiece in the intimate setting of the Minerva Theatre (Chichester, UK).”

Pre-Show Talks

Dr. Abigail Droge, visiting instructor for Purdue University Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts, gives a four-part pre-show talk about National Theatre Live’s HD film presentation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, starring Sir Ian McKellen.

Dr. Droge’s talk is followed by a pre-show talk with Chichester Festival Theatre featuring director Jonathan Munby discussing his production of King Lear. In conversation with CFT’s Biographer, Kate Mosse