Lear (John Hoskin) and his Fool (Sonia Goldberg) converse on stage. Note the King Lear brand to Lear's left. The Fool has a unique place in Shakespeare's works. He (in this case she) is often the wisest character in the play and the only one who can speak truth to the powerful without fear of retribution.
The Fool ducks as thunder, lightning and rain pour down. Lear, however, revels in the storm which speaks what he feels.
Lear, accompanied by his faithful Fool, has now lapsed into complete madness and wears a crown of flowers.
SEELEY LAKE – This year marked Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) golden anniversary-50 years of performing live outdoor productions of Shakespearean and other plays for the people of Montana. On Aug. 15, a large crowd of area residents set up their chairs and spread their blankets on the Double Arrow grounds to watch MSIP unfold the compounded tragedies resulting from King Lear's narcissistic decisions.
As is usually the case when one of Shakespeare's works is performed on the modern stage, directors use other-period costuming to guide the audience to make connections to their modern world, their history, their society and their own lives. MSIP Director Kevin Asselin chose to give this year's production an 1880s Montana setting.
In the program, Asselin explained his decision: "The volatile climate of our state's early history with its dynamic clash of cultures, family strife, and growth provide us with a unique lens through which we can see this play with relevant eyes."
These themes were evidenced through stage scenery, costuming and props.
Since the troupe travels all over the state hauling stage, costumes, props and other theatrical necessities in a small trailer behind them, they must keep their accouterments as spare as possible while requiring that each item convey as much meaning as possible. MSIP initially oriented the audience to the Montana time and period by placing center stage on their traveling theater a large representation of the King Lear cattle brand-a circle with a backwards "k" attached to a large "L" with a small crown above it. Lear's "throne" was a chair with the raised brand further ornamented by 18 horseshoes. Walls adorned with ornate, but empty, picture frames hinted at the theme of family strife. The clash of cultures found its most obvious emphasis in the deliberate mixture of African American and White actors.
Costumes, ranging from upper class garments to cowboy attire with gun and holster, not only portrayed the period but cued the audience to the various character's rise and fall in social status throughout the play. The most dramatic representation of this was in Lear's apparel. Initially wearing an opulent brocade vest and purple overcoat decorated with embroidered lapels and edging, Lear announces his plan to retire and distribute his considerable lands to his daughters in proportion to their declaration of love for him. When his youngest daughter Cordelia refuses to engage in the false flattery of her sisters, Lear disinherits her, splitting his lands equally between daughters Goneril and Regan. In subsequent appearances, Lear no longer wears the purple overcoat, though he still retains the vest.
After Goneril and Regan refuse to house him and force the Earl of Gloucester to turn him away also, Lear's next appearances show him in a plain, loose-fitting white shirt, wearing suspenders to hold up his pants. As his anger, depression and heartache continue to propel him on a downward mental spiral, Lear's appearance becomes slovenly, his shirttail hanging out on one side, a single suspender holding his clothes together. Lear's final descent into madness, his farthest fall from his former kingship, is signaled by the coarsely woven circlet of weeds and wildflowers he places on his head.
When he finally makes his way to daughter Cordelia and is graciously received by her, his mental state improves, as does his clothing. He first appears as an old man wearing a nice but inexpensive housecoat and dozing in a rocking chair. As Cordelia rouses him and assures him of her love and her willingness to care for him, he becomes attired simply but neatly in long-sleeved shirt and a pair of slacks.
John Hosking, the actor who played Lear, did a masterful job of portraying the character. And though he had to perform an impressive number of costume changes throughout the play, they definitely contributed to signaling Lear's changing mental states.
Spectacular sound effects also helped reflect Lear's mental turmoil. When the two loudspeakers positioned behind the audience first blasted out the sound of thunder, several audience members looked up, stupefied, at the cloudless blue sky above them. As Lear's Fool, cowered and the speakers continued to emit sounds of rain and thunder, no member of the audience doubted that a full-blown storm was in progress on stage. Lear's welcome of the storm perfectly reflected his emotional turmoil.
The standing applause at the end of the production verified the audience's appreciation of the acting skills of the troupe and also of the subtle costume and prop cues which together contributed to create an enjoyable and thought-provoking theater experience.
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