KING LEAR Comes to The Gladstone

Peter James Haworth stars as King Lear in this landmark production. Supported generously by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ottawa Community Foundation, King Lear brings Ottawa actors home. The sizeable cast celebrates the depth of talent in our city, making this show a special treat for audiences, who are rarely offered large-scale productions by local indie companies. Bear & Co. collaborates with New Theatre of Ottawa to showcase our city's finest.

Shakespeare's monumental tragedy speaks to the difference between the haves and the have-nots, with parallels in our own times to homelessness, mental illness, elder abuse, and the dangers inherent in a society where wealth is concentrated at the top. Lear's unravelling starts at the beginning of the story, when the aging king decides to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters. The two daughters who offer flowery lip-service are each given half, while the favourite, who refuses to play Lear's game, is banished. Having unintentionally rendered himself powerless by giving away his kingdom, Lear learns too late that he has mistaken his personality as the source of his power. Thrust into the world of the homeless and unable to accept the truth, the old man goes mad.

CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM The cast includes Peter James Haworth, Pierre Brault, Eleanor Crowder, Chris Ralph, Dave Dawson, Laura Hall, Ray Besharah, Nicholas Dave Amott, Leah Cogan, Gabriella Gadsby, Philip Merriman, Lydia Riding, Gabriel Shultz, Kurt Shantz, and Neil Kelly. Peter Haworth directs; Rachel Eugster directs the music. With fight choreography by Chris MacLeod, costumes by Michelle Ferranti, and lighting by David Magladry.

March 21-20 (preview March 20)
Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday-Sunday at 2:30 pm
Special discount matinee 11 a.m. on March 27 for the public, schools, and retirement homes
Special dress rehearsal preview at 2 p.m. on March 16 at Theatre Wakefield

Tickets can be purchased at The Gladstone: https://www.thegladstone.ca/king-lear/

Donations can be made at http://www.bearandcompany.ca/donate.html.