King Lear Jr!

John Russell
Jul 30, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Aug 26, 2020

Act I, Scene iv

We're back! Initially, we'd looked toward the summer with the anticipation of producing even more of these silly films, but the temptation to nap on the couch is just so hard to resist...

With Lear we have now paid our frivolous tribute to each of Shakespeare's great tragedies. I must confess that it brings me a certain pride as a feminist father to know that my daughter can say that she has played Macbeth, Hamlet, and Lear. Not that we are going to encourage her to flex in such a way -- far from it. But still: smash the patriarchy!

To recap, the aging Lear has decided to call it quits and split his kingdom among his three daughters, promising the choicest segment for the one who most lavishly professes his love to him. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to play his stupid game, asserting that filial adoration needs no such vulgar display. Lear, who like any good Shakespeare protagonist struggles with the old hubris, casts her out, splits the kingdom amongst the two remaining daughters, and proceeds to pout and act out like a quarantined teenager. Seeing he needs some sort of consequence for his immaturity, Lear's Fool commences to mock him without mercy.

Thanks again to Grummy for furnishing a key costume item: Ronan's coxcomb. Also, major props to Cousin Addie for stepping up again and loaning her accent talents to give stuffy Bill Shakespeare a voice. Other notes of potential interest for this one;

For some reason we decided to make it on one of the hottest days of the damn year. It was... a slog.
Yes, we did go to the effort of making that picture look like a painting and of having it printed out at the local Rite Aid. That's just how much we care.
Again, I take immense joy from the musical selections in this one. With the exception of the little dance song, everything is sourced from one of my favorite video games from my adolescence. Brings me back!