Shakepeare's masterpiece is rooted in its own unique world. Events unfold, set in train by the feelings and actions of the characters, moving towards a gripping climax. Shakepeare chose an old story for his source and there are lots of stories like this one, in many cultures. With good reason. The problems raised are powerful and universal. People live in families, families in societies. People need shelter, clothes, food, homes. People seek partners, property, power. People have parents, people have children. People work out ways of living together. People face misfortunes, accidents, disasters, successes, failures. People experience kindness and cruelty. People go mad. People get old. People die. People look for meaning in their lives, and they look for their gods. Above all, people need to be loved.

All of us are engaged in dealing more or less consciously with any or all of these issues ( and others not listed!) Shakespeare's genius presents us with a story which doesn't tell us what to do, or how to do it, but somehow reflects for us whatever we may be tackling at the time. It is about some of us all of the time, all of us some of the time. It is about feelings truly observed, and therefore is utterly absorbing theatre. It is a classic of classics - not a dusty book that someone said you ought to read because it would be good for you, but a story that touches us all at a deep level of our humanity. To put it simply, you'll enjoy it and come out feeling better.

If you've seen King Lear before, that can only enrich your unclerstanding this time. If you've read it but not seen it, be prepared to have your eyes and ears opened. If you "did it" at school, don't worry, it's not like that - grab this opportunity to take away the dusty taste! The experienced director and talented cast do the hard graft on the text, and bring you the people to watch and listen to. Shakespeare's language and verse took like a problem when you only see them in a book, but once the words are lifted off the page in perforrrence, there is no problem in understanding what the people are saying and feeling.