King Lear: A Prospective Director's Perspective

Coming into this play, I've been keeping in mind the discussion I had with Dr. Burton about how I need to try to engage Shakespeare creatively more. For some reason, as a thespian, I found it difficult to pin down something specific to talk about because theater and Shakespeare are so intertwined, that it seemed like it was too broad to try to give a truly unique perspective on it. But in the end, I guess we decided that many of you who are not in theater might possibly gain some insight from seeing how I would approach a show from a Director's perspective.


This I also find difficult because a Director's role and purpose is sort of vague at this point in education. In fact, until recently, most director's didn't even study at universities and get degrees, but rather studied under other director's at theaters (which, in some ways, I sometimes wonder if that is more effective, especially for people like me who learn by seeing and doing.) I've seen many a director at work, and am directing myself now for the third time in my life. But. . . it seems that there is little instruction in this field. Rather, the teachers/professors tend to just throw you in the lake without a life jacket and hope you can swim.



Here's a breif and simple explanation, as far as I understand it:
In a production, one first must read through the text many times, first for enjoyment, and then again a few more times to get a deep understanding of what the purpose and needs for that show will be. The most important thing, then, is to come up with a definitive concept for that show. Ask yourself questions such as

• What is this show about?
• What is the deep underlying meaning here?
• What do I want to teach the audience?

In this show particularly, it's hard to see what a good concept would be thus far, seeing as were only 2 acts in. So far, I'm seeing a lot as far as artifice, miscommunication, and deciet.

Skipping ahead past the audition process and past initial blocking rehearsals, I would then sit down with some of the actors (particularly of Cordelia, Goneril, and Regan) and discuss their characters with them. I would include questions for them (their characters) such as:

• What was your childhood like?
• What do you fear most?
• How do you respond to feeling threatened?
• What was the relationship like between your mother and father?

It's really important to establish where a character is coming from, especially in a play like this; otherwise, they might come off as flat and 2-dimensional. (Such as the Prospero in the version we saw of the Tempest perhaps. Maybe that was just me, but he seemed like he was just saying lines.)