Lear's Shadoow post-show Q&A with Colin Hurley at Brockley Jack Theatre. © Rachel Gatiss

Lear’s Shadow post-show Q&A at Brockley Jack Theatre. © Rachel Gatiss

How do you reimagine a 3,700-line play with 20+ named characters and a normal performance time of up to four hours into a 70-minute monologue?

That’s what actor Colin Hurley decided to do with one of the greatest tragedies in the classical canon: King Lear. And thanks to his countless Shakespeare credits at the RSC, the Globe, the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway over a forty-year career, as well as his creative experimentations with The Factory troupe and Zoom initiatives in lockdown, he was extremely well equipped to do so.

The result is Lear’s Shadow, now premiering at London’s Brockley Jack Theatre, which Hurley has devised and performs with the help of a box of scarves and other props and the enthusiastic involvement of the audience, particularly in conjuring the storm.

All but one of the words in the piece are Shakespeare’s own, though not exclusively from King Lear and definitely not in the order that aficionados may expect.

After Friday’s performance, I discussed King Lear, Lear’s Shadow, and Shakespeare with Colin, including how the bard has shaped his life and career, why his approach to the canon has changed over the years, when he still consults Shakespeare for Dummies and other guides, who the cardboard avatars in the audience represent, the power of linguistic repetition and more.

Lear’s Shadow continues at London’s Brockley Jack Theatre until 24 February 2024.

Q&A video

Q&A photos

Event photography by Rachel Gatiss.

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