“With guest director Jim Guedo’s exciting, streamlined production of Lear, the sun gradually sets on a king whose own folly and ungovernable ego crack the bonds of nature, and unleash chaos, both in himself and in the world around him.”
- Liz Nicholls, 12th Night
KING LEAR
FreeWill Shakespeare Festival
Set model: Designer Corey Sincennes
"It only takes a few minutes for director Jim Guedo’s stylized direction and the seasoned acting of the Freewill Exploding into multiple plotlines of backstabbing and disguises, Guedo’s rendition is full of madness, havoc and death, but with a curious ambiguity surrounding the characters’ rapport with the audience. Where the depravity of dark characters and purity of the good ones is often maintained in Shakespeare, Guedo teases the audience in different directions: the wretched Goneril and Regan are often sympathetic, while King Lear is at once a victim and a villain. The cast of King Lear are the source of this ambivalence, with stellar performances by the Earl of Kent (John Kirkpatrick) and the Duke of Gloucester (Julien Arnold). It’s Lear himself though, who carries the play. John Wright hits his stride from arrogance to ire, and finally to the sad ramblings of a dying old man — the King is true Freewill Shakespeare royalty.” -Page Gorsak, The Gateway
John Wright & John Kirkpatrick
Nathan Cuckow
Annette Loiselle & John Wright
john Kirkpatrick & Dave Horak
Belinda Cornish
Belinda Cornish & Kristi Hansen; Kevin Corey in b/g
Julien Arnold w/Sheldon Elter
John Wright
John Wright & Nathan Cuckow
Belinda Cornish & Julien Arnold
Nathan Cuckow & Jesse Gervais
Nathan Cuckow
John Wright & Julien Arnold
Annette Loiselle, John Kirkpatrick & John Wright