König Lear

By now, everyone’s fed up with the rule of old white men! Let the young ones have their say, preferably young women – that is what the old King Lear thinks. It is time to organize the estate, to arrange the fair distribution among his three daughters, and to retire from politics with dignity. Unfortunately, letting go of power is not quite so easy. When the declaration of love from his youngest and most beloved daughter is falling short of his expectations, Lear disinherits her without further ado. In the face of his dwindling authority, he is overcome by the urge to set fire to everything around him, relying on obvious hypocrites until he has nothing left. Old age? Panic? Delusions of grandeur? Incipient dementia? A helpless man clinging to his beloved crown? Apparently, this is a weakness that does not just affect Lear. Count Gloucester, his former confidant, is also backing the wrong child and is unable to exit gracefully.