In the Shadow of King Lear

This documentary shows two directors and a cast of actors working to breathe new life into Shakespeare. Veteran Ian Mune prepares to tackle one of the most difficult leading roles in classical theatre: King Lear. "If you're gonna climb hills, why not Everest?" he says. The unorthodox, bring it alive approach of Theatre At Large directors Anna Marbrook and Christian Penny (future director of Toi Whakaari) seems to err on the side of playfulness. But viewers are shown there is a method to their madness, when scenes from Shakespeare's drama are presented in beautifully-lit tableaus.

To make each moment alive each night for each audience takes always a new sort of life in the actor and the actors together. So, that's part of the training that will go on in rehearsal to encourage the actors always to look anew at every moment.

– Co-director Christian Penny

Key Cast & Crew

Waka Attewell

Cinematographer, Director

Ian Mune

Subject

Anna Marbrook

Subject

Raymond Hawthorne

Subject

Martyn Sanderson

Subject

Matthew Suttor

Composer