Shakespeare’s tragic play “King Lear”, based on an ancient Celtic myth ”Leir of Britain”, begins when Lear decides to retire and split his kingdom between his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and his youngest, Cordelia, apportioning lands based on his pleasure in their flattery. Goneril’s florid speech wins her the most, but he disinherits Cordelia who simply says “I love your majesty according to my bond, nor more, nor less.” Lear’s descent into madness begins with Goneril’s and Regan’s rejection and finishes with him abandoned in rags on a stormy heath raging incoherently. The complex plot includes other family feuds and ends with the death of both Lear and Cordelia when
a new dynasty comes to power.
As testament to Shakespeare’s stunning insight, comparisons to the character and demise of Lear have been made to our current President whose narcissism and lunatic actions have inspired controversy and violence. Some of Lear’s rants reveal sincere remorse, regret and compassion all of which are absent in Trump’s obsessive tweets. Instead of his simple expletive when Tillerson said, “Trump is a f-ing moron” he could have quoted Kent in Lear, “How could majesty stoop so low?”
In my play “Shakespeare On The Rocks” aging Shakespearean actor Alex Don Baron returns to his London flat to escape his West Village apartment that has been flooded by hurricane Sandy in 2012. He reminisces on his life and career when he finds his old scrapbook. When his rival actor Sully Gilferd visits him in the second act they improvise the opening scene of King Lear playing him as a U.S. president.
ALEX AND SULLY PLAY WITH LEAR
(ALEX takes a rolled up map of continental America off a shelf and spreads it on the end table.)
ALEX
I would love to play Lear my way - Lear as an American President. They’re offering me Lear – the Royal has a film in development.
SULLY (defiant)
Really - when did you hear from them?
ALEX
A few hours ago … Let’s play.
(ALEX as LEAR studies the map.)
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.
Give me the map. Here - Know that we have divided
In three America: and 'tis our fast intent
To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburthen'd crawl out of the Oval office
Tell me, my daughters,
Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend
Corporate Greed - speak first.
SULLY as CROPORATE GREED (Goneril)
Sir, I love you more than lobbying can wield the matter;
Dearer than profit – bribery and money laundering
Beyond all manner of scandal - so much I love you.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
Take our land and exploit it for your purposes.
What says our second daughter?
Our dearest Fake News - Speak.
SULLY as FAKE NEWS (Regan)
Corporate Greed comes too short: that I profess
Myself an enemy to the truth, journalism and free speech
Rights that most citizens believe they possess;
And find I am alone felicitate
In our dear President’s love.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
To thee and thine hereditary ever
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
Although the last, not least
Speak now, our joy, Nature.
SULLY as NATURE (Cordeilia)
Nothing, my lord.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
Nothing!
SULLY as NATURE (Cordeilia)
Nothing.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
Global warming will come to nothing: speak again.
SULLY as NATURE (Cordelia)
I love you as my father and President
According to my bond; not more nor less.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
How, now, Nature mend your speech a little,
Lest it may mar your fortunes forever.
So young, and so untender?
SULLY as NATURE (Cordeilia)
So young, my lord, and true.
ALEX as LEAR as PRESIDENT
Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy power:
For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
By all the operation of the orbs
From whom you do exist, and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all responsibility
For the destruction of the earth
And the future generations’ lives
As we gorge our appetite in this one.
SULLY as KENT
“What would’st thou do, old man? Think’st thou that duty have dread to speak - When power to flattery bows?”
(Shakespeare “ King Lear” - Kent)
(Sound of a powerful wind, thunder clap and rain come from the window that blows the curtain out. ALEX gets up to secure the red curtain on the window.)
ALEX as LEAR
“Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, rain!
Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters:
I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness;
I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children,
You owe me no subscription: then let it fall.”
I am a man - More sinn'd against than sinning.
SULLY as FOOL
“I'll speak a prophecy ere I go:
When every case in law is right;
No squire in debt, nor no poor knight;
When slanders do not live in tongues;
Nor cutpurses come not to throngs;
When usurers till their gold i' the field;
And bawds and whores do churches build;
Then shall the realm of Albion
Come to great confusion:
Then comes the time, who lives to see't,
That going shall be used with feet.
This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time.”
(Shakespeare “King Lear” – The Fool)
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