King Lear (Williamson play)

Play written by David Williamson

King Lear

Written by| David Williamson
Based on| King Lear
by William Shakespeare
Date premiered| June 1978
Place premiered| Alexander Theatre, Melbourne
Original language| English

King Lear is a 1978 Australian play by David Williamson. It is an adaptation of King Lear by William Shakespeare.

The play is commonly regarded as among Williamson's less successful plays and is rarely revived.[1]

The play was not published, in contrast with most Williamson plays, but a copy is available at the University of Queensland.[2]

## Background

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The play came out of a discussion between David Williamson and director Peter Oyston in 1977 about how to make Shakespeare more accessible. Williamson agreed do an adaptation of King Lear. The object was to put the play into contemporary, accessible English without changing the structure or philosophy. It was to be performed for a nine-week season at the Alexander Theatre, Monash University.[3] Oyston received a grant of $20,000 to help him with the production. Williamson completed his draft while lecturing in Denmark. The original cast had Reg Evans as Lear and Joe Bolza as the Fool.[4]

## Reception

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Len Radic of The Age said the production "must be given points for enterprise and daring" but said it and the adaptation were "dull".[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Dickins, Barry (13 May 1995). "Playing on the Water". The Age. p. 166.
2. ^ King Lear at UQ
3. ^ "Williamson's Lear Will Turn a Few Heads". The Age. 4 April 1978. p. 2.
4. ^ Jillet, Neil (27 March 1978). "Lear without a Carlton accent". The Age. p. 22.
5. ^ Radic, Leonard (29 June 1978). "Shakespeare Without Garnish". The Age. p. 2.

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Works by David Williamson

Plays|

* The Indecent Exposure of Anthony East (1968)
* You've Got to Get on Jack (1970)
* The Coming of Stork (1970)
* The Removalists (1971)
* Don's Party (1971)
* Jugglers Three (1972)
* What If You Died Tomorrow? (1973)
* The Department (1975)
* A Handful of Friends (1976)
* The Club (1977)
* King Lear (1978)
* Travelling North (1979)
* Celluloid Heroes (1980)
* The Perfectionist (1982)
* Sons of Cain (1985)
* Emerald City (1987)
* Top Silk (1989)
* Siren (1990)
* Money and Friends (1991)
* Brilliant Lies (1993)
* Sanctuary (1994)
* Dead White Males (1995)
* Heretic (1996)
* Third World Blues (1997)
* After the Ball (1997)
* Corporate Vibes (1999)
* Face to Face (2000)
* The Great Man (2000)
* Up for Grabs (2001)
* A Conversation (2001)
* Charitable Intent (2001)
* Soulmates (2002)
* Flatfoot (2003)
* Birthrights (2003)
* Amigos (2004)
* Operator (2005)
* Influence (2005)
* Lotte's Gift (2007)
* Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot (2008)
* Let the Sunshine (2009)
* Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica (2010)
* Don Parties On (2011)
* At Any Cost? (2011)
* Nothing Personal (2011)
* When Dad Married Fury (2011)
* Managing Carmen (2012)
* Happiness (2013)
* Rupert (2013)
* Cruise Control (2014)
* Dream Home (2015)
* Jack of Hearts (2016)
* Odd Man Out (2017)
* Credentials (2017)
* Sorting Out Rachel (2018)
* Nearer the Gods (2018)
* The Big Time (2019)
* Family Values (2020)
* Crunch Time (2020)
* The Great Divide (2024)
* Aria (2024)
* The Puzzle (2024)

Screenplays|

* Stork (1971)
* Libido (1973)
* Petersen (1974)
* The Removalists (1975)
* Eliza Fraser (1975)
* Don's Party (1976)
* The Department (1980) (TV movie)
* The Club (1980)
* Gallipoli (1981)
* Duet for Four (1982)
* The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
* Phar Lap (1983)
* The Last Bastion (1984) (TV series) - also produced
* The Perfectionist (1987) (TV movie)
* Emerald City (1987)
* Travelling North (1987)
* Touch the Sun: Princess Kate (1988) (TV)
* A Dangerous Life (1988) (TV mini-series)
* The Four Minute Mile (1988)
* Sanctuary (1995)
* Brilliant Lies (1996)
* Dog's Head Bay (1999) (TV series)
* On the Beach (2000) (TV series)
* Balibo (2009)
* Face to Face (2011)

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William Shakespeare's King Lear

Characters|

* King Lear
* Cordelia
* Goneril
* Regan
* Edmund
* The Fool

Sources|

* Historia Regum Britanniae (1136)
* The Mirror for Magistrates (1555)
* Holinshed's Chronicles (1577)
* King Leir (1594)
* "Water and Salt"

Related|

* Llŷr
* Leir of Britain
* Cordelia of Britain

Adaptations|

| Plays|

* The History of King Lear (1681)
* The Yiddish King Lear (1892)
* Safed Khoon (1907)
* Lear (1971)
* King Lear (1978)

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Novels|

* La Terre (1887)
* A Thousand Acres (1991)
* Fool (2009)

Operas|

* Re Lear (Libretto only) (1896)
* Lear (1978)
* Vision of Lear (1998)
* Kuningas Lear (2000)

Films|

* King Lear (1910)
* King Lear (1916)
* Gunasundari Katha (1949)
* King Lear (1971 USSR)
* King Lear (1971 UK)
* Ran (1985)
* King Lear (1987)
* A Thousand Acres (1997)
* Gypsy Lore (1997)
* King Lear (1999)
* My Kingdom (2001)

Television|

* King Lear (1953)
* BBC Television Shakespeare (1982)
* King Lear (1983)
* King of Texas (2002)
* Second Generation (2003)
* King Lear (2008)
* King Lear (2018)

Story within a story|

* The Dresser (1980 play)
* The Dresser (1983 film)
* The Dresser (2015 film)

Other|

* Tiriel (1789, poem)
* The Prince of the Pagodas (1957, ballet)
* The Tragedy of King Lear (screenplay)

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