King Lear: Contemporary Legend Theatre of Taiwan
- Performance
Photo by Dirk Bleicker
About The Event
Breen Center for the Performing Arts
Saint Ignatius High School
1911 West 30th St.
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
“A tour de force performance.” —New York Times
In this unique blend of awe-inspiring virtuosity of Beijing Opera acting style and visually stunning Western stagecraft, the celebrated Taiwanese actor Wu Hsing-kuo adapts themes and relationships from Shakespeare’s monumental tragedy of power and deception, King Lear. Delivering a one man tour de force, Wu Hsing-kuo simultaneously depicts multiple characters, from the maniacal Lear and his ally Gloucester, to his evil, grasping daughters and the pitiful, lonely Fool. Combining richly embroidered and colorful costumes, dazzling martial arts, contemporary dance, superb visual effects, and live Chinese music and song, Wu creates what The Guardian calls “One of the best blends of Eastern and Western techniques . . . In any language this is exciting theatre.” Cleveland debut. In Mandarin with English supertitles.
Tickets $34–$54
Generous support for this performance provided by the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) and the Taipei Cultural Center in New York.
These programs made possible in part by the Ernest L. and Louise M. Gartner Fund, the P. J. McMyler Musical Endowment Fund, and the Anton and Rose Zverina Music Fund.