King Lear: The Film

The epic production of King Lear: The Film starring Don Warrington was available free and on-demand through the BBC in the UK and internationally as part of the BBC/British Council Shakespeare Lives digital festival at bbc.co.uk/shakespearelives. 

King Lear: The Film was available free in cinemas and special events across the UK in October 2016 including at cinemas in Liverpool, Reading (Winnersh), Leeds (Birstall), Bristol, London, Walsall, Derby, Birmingham, and Nottingham.

King Lear: The Film is available to download and view, free of charge, via BBC iPlayer till 24 January 2017.

Captured at the Royal Exchange Theatre in May 2016, King Lear played to sell out theatre crowds during its run, winning 4 and 5 star reviews across the board and was described by The Telegraph as ‘a heartbreaking tour-de-force’.

The original ‘intelligent and theatrical’ (Guardian) stage production was directed by Michael Buffong (A Raisin in the Sun, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, All My Sons) and was a co-production between Talawa Theatre Company and the Royal Exchange Theatre in association with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

King Lear: The Film is funded by digital commissioning body The Space with the aim of bringing the impressive production to a wider and more diverse digital and cinema audiences. It’s supported by the British Council as part of their Shakespeare Lives programme, showcasing the best of British contemporary arts to an international audience.

Over the next twelve months the film will be available via a range of platforms including cinema and digital.