Join us before the King Lear evening performance on September 26 for a discussion led by Peter Conn, Vartan Gregorian Emeritus Professor of English. This event is free for King Lear ticket holders.
Professor Conn has sent this introduction to his talk:
The play is fraught with challenges. On the one hand, King Lear is widely regarded as Shakespeare’s greatest achievement. On the other hand, it has terrified generations of actors, some of whom have called it nearly unperformable. Beyond that, the text is terminally muddled; two quite different versions have survived, and we have no idea which (if either) was actually performed in Shakespeare’s lifetime. Above all, the moral universe we encounter in King Lear defies our most cherished moral aspirations.
As your professor used to say on an essay exam: discuss. Then find your seat and enjoy the splendid Globe Theatre production.
Peter Conn has taught in Penn’s English department for more years than he cares to admit.
