Yellow Earth Theatre and Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre presents;

KING LEAR

By William Shakespeare

The Cube at the RST, Stratford-upon-Avon

5 performances only from 15 – 18 November 2006

RSC Ticket Hotline: 0870 609 1110.

David Yip  known to UK audiences as The Chinese Detective and Chinese movie star, Zhou Yemang, feature in a futuristic version of King Lear as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) continuing Complete Works Festival.

Performed in the RSC’s temporary studio space, The Cube at the RST*, the production is directed by David Tse Ka-Shing and co-produced by London based Yellow Earth Theatre and Shanghai based Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre. Set in Shanghai and London, it is the future. China is the leading superpower. Those with money and power live above the law. Lear calls a video-conference to decide how his global business empire will be divided amongst his three daughters. We enter a vicious and visceral world where greed and ambition turns sister against sister, master against servant, child against parent. Betrayal, lust and murder follow Lear as he desperately searches for Taoist enlightenment. What hope is there for love?

Highlighting the difficulties of intercultural and intergenerational exchange, Lear and Cordelia’s fatal relationship is compounded by a Chinese Lear and an English-educated Cordelia, no longer fluent in her father’s language and reduced to saying ‘Nothing’.  Providing a challenging cross cultural interpretation, East meets West in this exploration of Chinese and British identities, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, spiritual and financial wealth, family loyalty, and generational divides.

Including video, music and aerial work, the production remains largely faithful to Shakespeare’s original text with a modern twist. Audiences can expect flick knives instead of swords, but will see Lear addressed as ‘King’ instead of President of a global business empire.

Performed in Mandarin and English (with surtitles in both languages), the cast includes: David Yip (Gloucester/Albany) ; Zhou Yemang (King Lear); Daniel York (Edgar/Cornwall); Matt McCooey (Edmund); Zhang Lu (Goneril); Xie Li (Regan); Nina Kwok (Cordelia/Oswald); He Ju (Kent).
 
Joining David Tse Ka-Shing on the creative team is: Jonathan Man (Assistant Director); Zhu Sheng Hao (Chinese Translation); Sang Qi (Stage Designer); Doug Kuhrt (Lighting); Wang Jiwei (Music).   

The production will premier in Shanghai on 20 October. The production runs for five performance at The Cube at the RST* (15-18 November) before going on a national tour (see below for details). For tickets for RSC performances ONLY contact the RSC ticket hotline on 0870 609 1110 or visit www.rsc.org.uk. For all other performances contact individual venues as listed below.

TOUR SCHEDULE FOR KING LEAR: OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2006

20 October – 4 November 7.15pm

Drama Salon, Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, No.288 Anfu Rd, Shanghai, P.R China

English Box office: + 8621 5465 6200      Chinese Box Office: + 8621 6473 0123 / + 8621 6473 4567

Tickets: 150rmb                                    

Web: www.china-drama.com

15 – 18 November 7.30pm 

18 November 1.30pm

The Cube at the RST, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6BB

Box office: 0870 609 1110                                                                      

Tickets:  £10                                        

Web: http://www.rsc.org.uk

20 & 21 November 8pm

22 November 2pm & 8pm

Lakeside Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD

Box office: 0115 846 7777                                                                      

Tickets: £12 (£9 concessions)                

Web: www.lakesidearts.org.uk

23 November 7.45pm

24 & 25 November 8pm

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Millbrook, Guildford, GU1 3UX

Box office: 01483 440000                                                           

Tickets: A- £18.50, B - £17.50, C - £16.00, D - £13.50, E (boxes for 4)  - £74.00, Students/Under 18’s - £7, £5 off ticket price for wheelchair access users + companion

Web: www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

28 & 29 November 7.30pm

The Arena Theatre, Wulfruna St, Wolverhampton, W. Midlands, WV1 1SB

Box office: 01902 321321                                                                       

Tickets: £12 (£10 concessions)

Schools Performance: 28 & 29 November 1pm - All Tickets £5

30 November & 1 December 7.30pm

Unity Theatre, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool, L1 9BG

Box office: 0151 709 6502                                                          

Utext: 078 4065 9807

Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions)

Web: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk

6 – 9 December 7.30pm

7 & 9 December 2pm

Vanbrugh Theatre, (RADA), Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU

Box Office: 020 7908 4800                                                                     

Tickets: £15/(£10 concessions) Thur Matinee £7.50  Sat Matinee £10/(£8 concessions)

Web: www.rada.org