King Lear by Williams Shakespeare at The Shed

Kenneth Branagh plays the title role in a new production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, set in the barbarous landscape of Ancient Britain. Featuring a cast of rising stars from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art directed by Rob Ashford, Branagh, and Lucy Skilbeck, this production releases the play’s power and turmoil in a fast-paced staging. In playing Lear, Branagh completes a trifecta of great Shakespearean tragic roles, complementing past appearances as Hamlet in his Academy Award–nominated film version of the play (1996) and on stage as Macbeth in a celebrated immersive production (2014). 

This strictly limited, exclusive US engagement of King Lear runs for 50 performances only. Designed specifically for The Shed’s Griffin Theater, the sound design in Dolby Atmos enhances this production, allowing sound to move throughout the theater and engage the audience in the play’s action.