King Lear

Old King Lear, weary of royal duties, proposes to break up his kingdom and divide it among his three daughters. But this rash generosity is cruelly repaid and Lear discovers too late the false values by which he has lived – and, in turn, the suffering common to all humanity.

Performed on an Elizabethan-style stage, a troupe of travelling players breathe new life into Shakespeare’s great tragedy, with the St Nicholas Rest Garden as a haunting backdrop. Tempestuous poetry shot through with touches of humour and moments of heart-rending simplicity, King Lear is one of the deepest artistic explorations of the human condition.

Al fresco Shakespeare is a popular Festival event every year – a chance to enjoy classic theatre in a relaxed and unusual setting. Bring a picnic and a blanket, and prepare for top-flight theatre in a unique environment.

SNGSA, the Friends of the Rest Garden, will be running a stall selling strawberries and fizz at each performance. The profits will be used to further improve the spaces with additional planting and restoration of the tombs and monuments.

View the event programme