Upstate Shakespeare Festival offers theatrical contrasts with ‘King Lear’ and ‘Two Gentlemen’
True to form, the Upstate Shakespeare Festival this summer is offering two sharply contrasting examples of the Bard’s brilliance.
“King Lear” is one of Shakespeare’s towering tragedies.
“Two Gentlemen of Verona,” meanwhile, is one of the English playwright’s down-to-earth romantic comedies.
“King Lear,” continuing in Falls Park through June 15, spotlights “one of the great roles (Lear) in theater history, an unrelenting challenge,” said John Fagan, the festival’s longtime producing artistic director.
Lee Neibert, a professor of theater at USC Upstate, takes on the tour-de-force title role in this production, which is staged by Fagan.
“Lee is doing such an amazing job, bringing so many contrasting colors to the role,” Fagan said.
“King Lear” centers on the tragedy of a powerful man in steep decline. The aging king divides his kingdom among his daughters based on their flattery. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, who speaks truthfully, is disowned, and the elder daughters betray him, leading to Lear’s descent into madness and destitution.
Lear’s suffering and the ensuing chaos highlight the destructive nature of unchecked power and the importance of genuine love and loyalty.
“It’s a mountain of a play, dealing with huge emotions,” Fagan said. “I believe it’s one of Shakespeare’s leanest and certainly strongest plays.”
Staged in modern dress, the play may bring to mind the issue of American gerontocracy, though that was not Fagan’s intention.
“Shakespeare is always relevant,” Fagan said.
‘Two Gents’
“Two Gentlemen of Verona,” running July 3-27, centers on the young men of the title, Valentine and Proteus, and their romantic travails. The play touches on the themes of friendship, betrayal, and the conflict between friendship and love.
Shakespeare spotlights especially the excesses of youthful love.
“When these young people fall in love, they do so in bold capital letters, ‘L-O-V-E,’” Fagan said. “And when they fall out of love, they fall out of love intensely and it’s the end of the world and nothing like this has happened to anyone else before.”
Fagan added, “And we’ve all been there.”
Uniquely in Shakespeare, the comedy presents the first and only appearance of a dog, Crab, belonging to Launce, the clownish servant of Proteus.
Local director John Michael Cox will stage “Two Gentlemen of Verona.”
Admission to “King Lear” and “Two Gentlemen of Verona” is free, though donations are appreciated. Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.
Want to go?
What: Upstate Shakespeare Festival: “King Lear” (through June 15); “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (July 3-27)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
Where: Falls Park near downtown Greenville
Tickets: Admission-free, though donations are appreciated
Info: 864-235-6948 or warehousetheatre.com
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