Ian McKellen’s King Lear to Be Shown on TV, DVD

The RSC’s recent production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Trevor Nunn and with Ian McKellen in the title role, is being filmed for HD TV. It will be broadcast on England’s BBC Channel 4 in December, as well as being broadcast on PBS in the autumn and a number of other TV stations internationally, including NHK Japan. Plans are also in the works to make the tape available on worldwide DVD.

The show originated at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 2007 before embarking on an international tour — including a stop at BAM — and a recently concluded West End run.

In addition to McKellen, the cast includes Ben Addis (King of France), Frances Barber (Goneril), Keiran Bew (Knight), Adam Booth (Knight), Zoe Boyle (Lady in Waiting), Russell Byrne (Doctor), Naomi Capron (Maid), Monica Dolan (Regan), Branwell Donaghen (Herald), Romola Garai (Cordelia), William Gaunt (Gloucester), Richard Goulding (Messenger), Julian Harries (Albany), John Heffernan (Oswald), Peter Hinton (Duke of Burgandy), Jonathan Hyde (Kent), Melanie Jessop (Servant), Seymour Matthews (Curan), Sylvester McCoy (Fool), Ben Meyjes (Edgar), David Weston (Gentleman), Guy Williams (Cornwall), and Philip Winchester (Edmund).