A storm of sorrows

PETA Theater's recent production of Shakespeare's "Haring Lear" (see yesterday's post) had certain elements of Japanese kabuki theater, with its all-male cast and bizarre make-up. It was also innovative in its approach to the storm scene in King Lear. Instead of constructing an expensive shower and wind system, production designer Gino Gonzales laid bare the props to the audience, with a large, industrial fan in the middle of the stage and two stagehands carrying shower heads on long poles following Lear around the stage. After being taken aback for a few seconds (and one could hear the murmurs throughout the theater), one just accepts them and becomes riveted by actor Teroy Guzman's powerful performance.


At a certain point in the scene, Lear's two greedy and scheming daughters, whose ungratefulness have led him to this sorry state in the first place, take over from the stage hands and continue the deluge that they have caused. Actors Nor Domingo and Gary Lim play the parts such that Goneril and Regan are seemingly taking evil and perverse pleasure on the sorrows that they are raining down on their father.