Belarus Free Theatre's
King Lear
February 5 - 14, 2016
Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare
A World's Stage Production
from Belarus
by William Shakespeare
directed by Vladimir Shcherban
adapted by Nicolai Khalezin
★★★★ (of 4) This not-to-be-missed... feels like a great howl of rage suffused with mortality and absurdity.
Chicago Tribune
The Play
Belarus Free Theatre returns to Chicago following widely acclaimed productions of Being Harold Pinter and Minsk 2011, a reply to Kathy Acker. Featuring tempestuous poetic language and shot through with touches of humor and moments of heart-rending simplicity, this production is one of the most striking and relevant artistic explorations of the human condition. Founded in 2005 under Europe’s last surviving dictatorship, Belarus Free Theatre is one of the most outspoken critics of Belarus’ repressive regime and is banned from performing in their own country. Many company members have served time in prison, lost their jobs, gone into hiding or been exiled. Despite this, the company continues to create award-winning work with the support of artists around the world.
Performed in Belarusian with projected English translation.
More to Explore
About Belarus Free Theatre
Challenging the dictatorship's censorship, company members are banned from performing in the country and live in exile.
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Critical Acclaim
"Beautifully staged. The production gives us a glimpse of what it must be like to live under a whimsically irrational dictatorship."
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The Players
Creative Team
Vladimir Shcherban Director / Editor / Designer / Costume Designer
Nicolai Khalezin Adapter / Executive Producer
Natalia Kaliada Executive Producer / Costume Designer
Alex Shyrnevich Costume Designer
Pavel Arakelian Original Musical Reprise
Sviatlana Yafimava Vocal Coach
Elias Faingersh Musician
Yurka Hauruk Poetic Translation into Belarusian
Marty Moore Production Manager
Svetlana Sugako Stage Manager
Nadia Brodskaya Company Manager / Surtitles
Fenella Dawnay Original Producer
Clare Robertson General Manager and Producer
Cast
Victoria Biran Cordelia
Yuriy Dalivelya Duke of Albany
Elias Faingersh Fool
Kiryl Kanstantsinau Edmund
Siarhei Kvachonak Edgar / Poor Tom / Duke of Burgandy
Pavel Radak-Haradnitski Earl of Gloucester
Yana Rusakevich Goneril
Maryia Sazonaya King of France / Announcer
Yuliya Shauchuk Oswald
Aleh Sidorchyk King Lear
Dzianis Tarasenka Earl of Kent
Andrei Urazau Duke of Cornwall
Maryna Yurevich Regan
Additional Credits
King Lear is part of
