King Lear

Summary

King Lear, old and tired, divides his kingdom among his daughters, giving great importance to their protestations of love for him. When Cordelia, youngest and most honest, refuses to idly flatter the old man in return for favor, he banishes her and turns for support to his remaining daughters. But Goneril and Regan have no love for him and instead plot to take all his power from him. In a parallel, Lear's loyal courtier Gloucester favors his illegitimate son Edmund after being told lies about his faithful son Edgar. Madness and tragedy befall both ill-starred fathers.

Guest stars

• Barbara Flynn as Goneril
• Ian Holm as King Lear
• Amanda Redman as Regan
• Timothy West as Gloucester
• Michael Bryant as Fool
• David Burke as Kent
• Paul Rhys as Edgar
• Finbar Lynch as Edmund
• Victoria Hamilton as Cordelia
• David Lyon as Albany