King Lear

Overview

Featuring theatre professionals, alumni and current students, the team behind the University of Auckland's Outdoor Summer Shakespeare brings together its most highbrow creative team yet for it's 50th anniversary season.

Internationally-renowned actress Lisa Harrow, formerly of the Royal Shakespeare Company and a cast member in the first Auckland Summer Shakespeare has taken up the role of director. She is joined by actor-director Michael Hurst, who serves as artistic consultant and plays Lear’s all-knowing fool.

Lear is by played by Shakespearean scholar professor Michael Neill, older brother to the show’s executive producer, who is yes, you guessed it, Sam Neill.  King Lear tells the story of a patriarchal world dragged into disarray by a conflict between truth and madness. Harrow, in conjunction with emerging set designer Jessika Verryt, aims to transport the audience back to a darker age, while holding a mirror up to our contemporary world. Grab your picnic blanket or better still some fold-out chairs and head along to watch the Bard's greatest tragedy brought to life.