King Lear, one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, also can be remarkably difficult to stage. So it is no wonder that 17 years have passed since American Players Theater in Spring Green, WI, has tackled this tragedy of a mad king, his ungrateful daughters, and a kingdom disintegrating into chaos.
This cautionary tale is no less relevant today than when it was penned 400 years ago. To drive that point home, director William Brown sets this Lear in the present. Greed, jealousy, resentment, injustice, mercy, kindness and charity are all qualities that haven’t gone out of style. And in this political year, they may be more evident than usual.
As this production opens, rows of chairs and a podium are arranged as if a press conference is about to begin. Lear, all smiles, his crown glinting in the sun, ascends to the podium. He is there to announce his retirement as the British king. Furthermore, he has prepared a map that designates which parts of the kingdom will be ruled by his three daughters.
However, to “earn” their inheritance, Lear makes the odd request of asking each daughter to pledge her oath of undying love for her father. The first two sisters, dressed as modestly and appropriately as one would expect among today’s English monarchy, rise to the occasion. Their words please Lear, and he expects to hear the same from his youngest daughter, Cordelia (Melisa Pereya). However, she gives an honest assessment of the relationship between father and daughter. Lear is so outraged at Cordelia’s words that he gives her, without a dowry, to a suitor from France. When one of his advisors, the Earl of Kent (now the Duchess of Kent), begs Lear to reconsider, the King banishes her from the kingdom, too. Thus begins Lear’s downfall, which eventually will strip him of his crown, his children, his mental health and his dignity.
This is a full-scale mounting of King Lear, with a cast of 25. Few productions can afford to populate a production on this level, but this Lear certainly benefits by all the various groups that play a role in Lear’s undoing. One can observe Lear’s relationship to many groups that surround him, giving the audience a broader grasp of his influence.
Lear is a part that most male actors drool over. In this case, veteran actor Jonathan Smoots rises to the occasion. Tall and broad-shouldered, he offers us a reflective, moody Lear. Rarely does he express the emotional fire of a mighty king. After the opening scene, what the audience observes are mainly sparks of a dying fire. Only in the famous scene where Lear rages against a storm (and the gods) does one catch glimpses of the man he once was. Overall, Smoots does an excellent job of portraying Lear’s gradual descent into madness. In order to make the storm scene as dramatic as possible, jets of water squirt across the stage and sharp claps of thunder fill the air. The real trees behind the outdoor stage are illuminated, and their gentle swaying heightens the effect. One cannot imagine a play better-suited to an outdoor stage than Lear, since references to nature are so common. In this production, actors can peer into the real sky to appeal to the gods; or to witness what they perceive as omens in the stars.
But let’s return to the storm. Lear, quickly soaked to the bone, fails to listen to his Fool and a messenger when they entreat him to get under cover. They lead him not to a palace, but to an underground hovel. Now that the king has suffered what he feels is the ultimate betrayal (by his daughters), the once-mighty Lear is now more sensitive to the commoners who populate his kingdom. Inside the hovel, he encounters a filthy, half-dressed man who calls himself Mad Tom. Lear identifies with this apparent madman, and the conversation between them is impressively staged. In addition to Smoots, one must thank Eric Parks for playing a convincing Mad Tom. Later, this same dirty wretch reveals himself to be the Duke of Gloucester’s son. His ruse was first an attempt to hide himself from those intent on killing him.
In another memorable scene, Mad Tom/Edgar leads his unknowing father (now blinded) to what Gloucester believes are the cliffs of Dover. Actor James Ridge, as pliable an actor as ever walked the APT stage, asks Tom/Edgar to lead him to the cliff’s edge so he can jump off. Gloucester is not bothered by his blindness; it is his unfairness towards Edgar that leads him to the cliff. Gloucester’s thoughts were based on a previous, overheard conversation staged by his other, illegitimate son, Edmund). As Edmund, Marcus Truschinski credibly plays a charismatic young man with the face and figure to attract both of Lear’s older daughters. By this time, both daughters have abandoned their buttoned-up reception outfits for sleazy miniskirts and high heels (credit costume designer Rachel Ann Healy). Two other actors deserve mention in this solid cast. One is Greta Oglesby as the Duchess of Kent. Now banished from the kingdom, the Duchess returns in disguise. She wears a cartoon character-adorned t-shirt covered by a loose-fitting sweater, comfortable slacks and sunglasses. Oglesby uses her new identity to hilarious effect; she is bold, sassy and funny. The king, impressed, makes her his messenger.
Another character who brings a note of humor to this tragedy is the Fool, who is also played here by a woman. The tiny, elfin Cristina Panfilio carries a guitar and wears skinny black jeans. She turns some of the Fool’s doggerel into a country song, which she accompanies on her guitar. The Fool’s language may be crude, but Lear would be well-advised to listen to what she says. (Historically, the Fool occupies a place unlike any other in the king’s inner circle. Neither a nobleman, scholar or a military general, the Fool observes things from the sidelines.) Panfilio is keenly adept at making her thoughts known mostly in songs and riddles. One senses her loyalty to her king even when the chips are down. One wishes to see more of Panfilio , but Shakespeare has to focus on eliminating the main characters. As it is, the production is more than three hours long. In this political year, the lessons taught in King Lear still seem to go unheeded. Treachery and false accusations fly across the airwaves as competitors vie for the voters’ sympathies and support. Like Lear, the contenders fail to listen to the wise advice of those around them. One only hopes the real-life conclusion to this battle will have no resemblance to the fate that befell Lear’s England. Only time will tell.
