An Aboriginal King Lear

You may already be familiar with Tom E. Lewis' portrayal of King Lear in the indigenous adaptation, The Shadow King. There is a fascinating new interview with Lewis available here. This adaptation is particularly interesting - for educators, performers, and students - for a variety of reasons. 

First, it explicitly hones in on the crucial role of land in King Lear. With its contemporary Australian setting, it offers an interesting way into considerations of land in both Shakespeare and for current-day Australia, as it introduces the threat of mining companies to indigenous land. 

The Shadow King may also be very useful for discussions of adaptations, particularly the process of 'translating' or modernising Shakespeare's language. This adaptation is also a very pertinent example of the creative and constitutive role of place in our conceptions of Shakespeare.

Finally, it is also interesting to consider in terms of how we use Shakespeare as a voice for the marginalised.

Lewis makes a very interesting comment in this trailer for the production: "Dreamtime and Shakespeare go together, and what swims in the middle between these two...is brutality."

Let us know your thoughts about adaptations of Shakespeare, or The Shadow King in particular, by connecting with us on Facebook or Twitter.