Beowulf's taut 'Lear' still every inch a king

Kathleen Allen Kallen@azstarnet.com | Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2011

Michael Fenlason is, clearly, fearless.

Come this weekend, when ghosts and goblins reign, he will be mounting "Lear," his take on Shakespeare's "King Lear," at Beowulf Alley Theatre.

It's a daunting and much-loved tragedy.

CREATISTA, SCOTT GRIESSEL / BEOWULF ALLEY

Beowulf Alley Theatre's "Lear" features Jacob Brown, left, as The Fool, Aaron Guisinger as Edgar, Bri Breezy Giger as Kent and Bill Epstein as King Lear.

Scary? Sure, says Fenlason.

"But there's a lot about it that's exciting," he says, clearly relishing the excitement more than the fear.

"I wanted to do something that's a little raw and a little classic," he says, explaining why he proposed this play to Beowulf.

And, he adds, the piece, more than 400 years old, resonates today.

"The play speaks to what's going on now - division, poverty, care of the elderly. It has a lot to say to our modern society. That's the wonderful thing about Shakespeare - he's forever fresh."

"Lear" is about the aging king who wants to divide his kingdom among his three daughters.

He asks each to tell him how deeply he is loved. Two, Goneril and Regan, flatter him to no end and they receive generous parcels of land. But the youngest, Cordelia, isn't going along with this heap-on-the-flattery approach. Instead she tells him the truth - that she loves him as a daughter should.

It enrages old King Lear, who cuts Cordelia out of her share of land. All of this, of course, leads to intense human suffering, awful tragedies and great lessons. It is brilliant and bleak.

And long - a norm with Shakespeare.

But today's audiences are less tolerant of long plays, and most contemporary Shakespeare productions have shortened scripts.

Fenlason says his script cuts were done carefully.

"We tried to find places where we could tell the story and keep the language," he says. "We kept it pretty tight."

Beowulf's "Lear" will be in modern dress and American accents.

"We're trying to make it natural so audiences can relate to it," Fenlason explains.

"I don't think anyone who loves Shakespeare will be angry with me."

If you go

• What: "Lear."

• Presented by: Beowulf Alley Theatre.

• By: William Shakespeare.

• Director: Michael Fenlason.

• When: Previews at 7:30 p.m. today and opens 7:30 p.m. Friday. Regular performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 20.

• Where: Beowulf Alley, 11 S. Sixth Ave.

• Tickets: $15 preview; regular performances $20 in advance, $23 by phone and day of performance.

• Reservations/information: www.beowulfalley.org or 622-4460.

• Running time: 2 hours 35 minutes.

• Cast: Bree Boyd, Jacob Brown, Kate Cannon, Cody Davis, Bill Epstein, Bri Breezy Giger, Alex Greengaard, Aaron Guisinger, Mark Klugheit and Amy Loehrs.